The Five Dragons: Justice
by SylverWing
Summary: A Past that never made history. A secret that many don't want known. Wufei is trapped in a spiral that revolves around his long dead wife and the machines that are now a part of history. Some Secrets Aren't meant to be told, while others just won't die. [On Hiatus]
1. Chapter 1

AUTHORS NOTES: _I Am sorry for the late in coming continuing of the five dragons, however I hope this revamped version makes things a little easier to follow, because as I was re-reading my own story... well i was having a hard time following the plot like. Thankyou for your paitence._

_**The Five Dragons: Book ONE Justice**_

_Introduction:_

_The ground rumbeled and pieces of the internal structure started to fall about them- two young children no older then ten. "You cannot get caught up in this, You know better then I no one in this colony will survive." _

"_I cannot go out there and leave you to die! I'd leave you behind!" The young boy cried, tears running down his round cheeks, his glasses long ago fallen off his face. "I am sorry love, but you knew this was coming. Remember to seek out Master O. He will make you stronger; for you are now justice." the girl said her deep brown eye's brimming with tears. _

"_Justice must be strong of mind, as well as body. Keep this in mind when in training Wu'fie, and always remember I love you." _

"_You can't just abandon life like it is nothing!" He screamed, as a pair of arms wrapped around his middle without warning from behind. "You are the Dragon to take my place and remember these words well. They will mean the difference between life and death. It is my last means of protection to you. 'May ye fly above the clouds and observe the land below. May Justice smite the wrongs done to us all..." The woman's voice grew distant as Two young coal eyes peered out a shuttle window. _

_A seconde later His home, his loved ones and his life exploded in the flames of evil. "May Justice Smite..." The words echoed in his head one more time as his small mouth opened emmiting a gut retching scream._

The scream still echoed in the empty room as he sat straight up in his bed, Sweat pouring down his face. His hands where clutching the blanket in such an iron grip he could feel his nails digging painfully in to the flesh of his palm. It took him a moment to figure out his alarm was the thing still screaming at him as his eyes stung with the tears he had not felt since he was a boy. He flung the sheets off his legs and reached over to turn the machine off.

"I am sorry..." He whispered to the emptiness of the lonely early morning.

_**Chapter one**_

" Captain there is a call waiting for you on line one." A woman said half cheerfully as the owner of the office behind her desk exited the elevator at the end of the hall. She couldn't see him yet, but that mattered not, Preventer Office Wu'fie Chang kept to a ridgid schedual, preffuring everything in life to be in order- at least as much so as it could be given the work he did on a daily bases. " Hm, do they have a name?" the man stalled before her desk. She didn't imetaitlly look up at him, instead finishing her email before sending it along. "No, sir. However they insisted it was of grave importance to speak with you. They have been on hold for the last five minutes."

" Is there anything else?" His almost husky voice had the woman's back going straight as it held, like it usually did, an air of accusation in the undercurrent. It was then her inquisitive brown eyes flicked from her screen to look up at him. He looked the same as he did everymorning, put together, and ready to take on the world. The air of suspicion most officers in the service of preventer aquired hovering like a bad oder; Black hair constantly pulled back from his face in a short tight poney tail, dark obsidean eyes not really looking at her, but everything about her. "A Message from head office that the schedualed capitans meeting has been rebooked for the 12th, they didn't say why."

He nodded his approval, Karin had been his scretairy for the last nine years and knew the man to be of very little words, and very few compliments had ever been thrown her way. Though she also understood the simple fact that she was still his secritary proved to everyone that she was indeed effeciant and trust worthy. A high praise considering she worked for a man who was at one time a terrorist in the eyes of the people. _Misguided fools._ She thought with a sigh. "Oh, there is one more thing Captian."

Wu'fie had started to walk away, and spurred karin's memory, "A package came in early this morning for you from... L2, I believe it was sent by Officer Poe." She pulled out a long envalope-like packge and handed it over to him. He gave it a critical eye before nodding and continueing in to his office. When his door closed, Karin sighed and picked up the phone reciver, "Captin Chang will be right with you, sorry for the long wait." A girls voice hummed before she put the reciver back on it's cradle placing the girl on hold once more.

Wu'fie chang released the door handle and steped further in to the room that was classified as his office. On the twentith floor of the Preventer out building on the city limits of Tokyo he held a view of the city's sky line, and could clearly see on the opposing side of the city the towering heights of the Winner courperation's J.A.P. point Head office.

His office space was baren save for a desk, chair and a single photograph that sat on top of his large filing cabnit. He rounded his desk and opened the office's only sliding window to allow the morning air to wash out the stailness his office often collected over night before sitting down and lifting the phone reciver. " Chang." He answered in his stern professional voice, his pale and still quite feminine looking hand pulled the black receiver to his ear pinning it there between his cheek and shoulder.

"_The hunters still live, and they seek out the blood of the forgotten, They know of you and her; and true to their rights, they shall stop at nothing until your driven back out in to the open. _

"_Fear these words ye Dragon of Justice..._

_**May ye fly above the clouds and observe the land below. **_

_**May Justice smite the wrongs done to us all..."**_

Wu'fie stood from his seat, "Who is thi-"He was unable to finish his question as the dull undertone of disconnection resounded for a moment only to be drowned out by an echoed Gun shot through his open office window from 20 stories below. As he stood stunned, the alarm went off over the emergency system signaling for a Code Lockdown for all civilian personal, and for the Preventer Staff present to respond. He didn't hear the alarm, he only herd the words whispered to him by the phantom of his dreams. "

_"You are now justice..." _What where the chances he would have a nightmare of that night, only to have the phone call this morning... He didn't want to think about it. "Captian!" Karin stood in his door way holding a wary expression, when he looked at her she continued, "Captian, there are reports of shots fired ground level. They think it's a suicide."

Steeling himself, Wu'fie walked out the door, a 'roger'barely escaping his lips.

* * *

The street was chaos to say the least, Preventer Presonal where tied up trying to keep traffic moving and passerby's from contaminaiting the scene. Wu'fie had walked out in to the middle of it, though he would not assist the effort- those doing the job knew what they where doing and would get the situtation under control quickly enough. He instead turned his attention towards the phone booth at the center of the commotion.

Blood, bone and bits of brain matter coated the insides of the telephone booth turning the body still inside in to a phantom shadow. From what he could tell from his position, the body was female, and was stuck partly toppled out of the booth, He could see her legs from under the slight rise of the privicy walls, they were slippered shoes on her feet and a pair of knee high stockings that had once been white in plain view. What appeared to be the hem of a plad skirt, and the tops of pale knees. Just in his line of sight was a hunk of Green that he couldn't identify, he glance on the upper level ove the booth and noted a single whole that was no doubt a bullet whole. Following the line of fire he spotted a second floor window had be cracked by the bullet, which was what had sent off the alarm. All the windows from fifteen down where bullet proof and where whired to set off the alarm if they broke or where cracked.

"Make way, Preventer Viechal coming in." Wu'fie turned his attention towards a standard Nissan Bluebird Unmarked preventer cruiser. He didn't need to see the driver to know who was behind the wheel of the vehical, simply because he knew only one person who would pull up to the curb and reef on the in order to get to an already controled scene. "What the hell happened?" Duo maxwell's voice echoed as he opened the car door, though he wasn't talking to anyone in particular and thus wasn't looking for an answer directly. "Maxwell, take a downer." Both passenger and driver stepped out of their cars and on to the sidewalk five feet from the crime scene.

Duo's Violet eyes connected with his and the man instantly made his way over, carefully avoiding any potential evidance. His partner, one wu'fie knew to be named Kekko Yurigami followed beside him, hands stuffed in her pockets, though she didn't look at him but the scene. "This is going to be headline news." She muttered, before finally allowing her gaze to rest on his.

The woman had od eyes, being she was half Japanese, her eyes where two different colours. Hetrochromatic, one was blue the other a brown. She was of medium build and adverage height, Kekko Yurigami was also Duo Maxwells partner in the newly created Childrens relation division. "We'll have a press black out in effect, until we know what is exactly going on, but it looks pretty straight forward." Wu'fie said simply before adding, "So what brings Childrens relations all the way from Down Town?"

Duo's violet eyes rolled, "Dude, did you forget that the systems alarms are linked to all the Facilities in range? You helped devlop the safeguards." Wu'fie had indeed forgotten momentairily, but he wouldn't admit that to Duo because he would never live it down. "Of course not." He left it at that, before moving in towards the Telephone booth. "Rogers." He caught a stray preventer's attention on his way past, "Make the nessiciary arrangements for a press black out, and ensure the corner is en route."

He didn't need to look to know the man was already heading back inside, he herd it when the man opened the door allowing the alarm to echo out on to the street. "Simmions, Get that alarm turned off." Another barked from the other side of the scene. Wufie didn't look to see who, for he was already beside the door to the phone booth. "Maxwell, you have your camera's on hand?" He asked over his shoulder glancing to see that Duo was already walking over to him with the long lensed evidance collector. Kekko beside him with a silver case.

With a nod of approval they begun the evidance collection process.

* * *

On the opposite side of the city; word travelled quickly through the students and parents alike that the alarm at preventer went off and there was a shooting. It travelled in to the little downtown, as the locals called it which was essentailly a smal city crammed in to a ten block radius, in stood a large old-style Martial arts Dojo. Standing outside, of which stood a woman with long black pulled up in to a high pony tail, she wore a standard Gi and Hikama combonation holding a broom.

"Good morning Sensei Taylor, I'm sorry I am so late Traffic was horrible on the way down here. People where flocking the streets to see what was going on at preventer, traffic was at a stand still." A young woman about twenty four apologized haistly as she ran up the street towards her. Her short brown hair flying around with the motion. Ayame gave her a soft smile, "Izumi, I have herd about the preventer alarm. Do not fret, I know how to answer a phone if it rings."

The girl gave a soft chuckle, "Yes Sensei," She smiled before holding out her hand. "Let me finish up here while you prepare for your next set of classes for the day. It is after all one of the reason's why I am here." Nodding she handed the girl the worn broom, making note to buy another one next time she went out to do some shopping. "Izumi, Do not book any appointments or sign up orentations for the one-pm time block. I am needing to place some orders for equipment. So i will be unavaible for that hour."

"Oh?" The girl leant on the broom, "Your favorite pass time is shoppig for new dojo equipment, Is Takashi Sensei going to be meeting you down at Dereks?" She half shurgged, "Takashi, Ichirou is hardly the predictable sort. He may show up at the store, he may not. You will do well to remember that he works on a whim outside of the dojo's walls." Izumi frowned at her responce, "Sensei?"

"You are very readable Izumi, I have seen how you react to Ichirou when he does decide to breeze in."

"Ayame-san, I am hurt you think so little of me." A man's chipper voice said from the main entrance, a mock tone of suffering matched the look on his boyish features. "You should be pleased I think so highly of you, givin you lack of attendance not only in this dojo but lightning as well. Nayoshi-sensei Feels the same. If this persists then you will not be welcomed on either property in any forum of teaching capasity and to be let go from both, would not be a very good thing for your resume, considering your high asperaitions." She turned, her bright blue eyes of her mother's heritage narrowing warningly.

"Ayame-san, you wouldn't let me go would you?" A lock of black hair fell in to the man's stunned face, and Ayame turned to leave him on the side walk. "If you do not actauilly prove to me and Nayoshi-sensei that you are able to keep to your arranged scheduales then yes I will." She walked in to the Dojo, the sounds of a small scuffel welcomed her ears. "Kana. Your going to be late." Her gaze turned towards a blonde who stood blocking an on-coming strike from another female with short shocking-red hair. "That Includes you Satomi." Both lowered their Shinai's and sighed. "Yes Sensei."

"Ayame-San! Ayame-San! Please! You can't let me go! I am begging you!" Ichirou flew in to the dojo calling after her. "Takashi, Ichirou, Have i said that you are being let go today?" She turned to look the man dead in the eye, and being shorter then him it was a feat only a teacher or a mother could acomplish easily. "N-no Sensei-taylor." The boy-man stuttered skidding to an instant hult. "Then stop you begging, it's unbecoming. Remember what i told you, if you can prove you know how to make priorities involving your scheduals then I shall reconsider letting you go, and maybe if you lucky I'll talk to Nayoshi-sensei."

"Thank-"

Ayame left him standing in the hallway, infront of the large classes mats walking in to her personal office that sat behinde the reception desk. She no sooner closed the door did her personal line ring forcing a shigh out of her mouth, "today is going to be a long day." She could feel it.


	2. Chapter 2 Opening stages

_**AUTHORS NOTES: Okay first I must apologize to everyone for a MAJOR SPELLING ERROR I FOUND AND SOMEONE POINTED OUT IN THE LAST VERSION. If you noticed it, I am sorry, if not, then do not fear- It is fixed and no one needs to get hurt xD. So in having said this- here is chapter Two of the new Over Haul- . I hope it's to everyone's liking. Enjoy! **_

Introduction:

She stood on the sidewalk amongst the other watchers of the brutal removal and transportation of the body. She was young, and she was dead- it would be a sensation in the news, even if Preventer put their little press black out in effect, people would talk. Eventually it would force them to make a statement. She couldn't help but smile at the idea, especially with Preventer's star captain investigator looking so intense. His feathers where ruffled, and everyone in the departments knew it. Though no one would know why at least until more digging became needed, and she would indeed insure it was needed. Her bright Irish green eyes watched as a picture was taken of a long slide pistol and the weapon bagged. A soft chuckle bubbled up from inside her throat as she turned and walked away from the scene, earning only a few curious stars.

Chapter Two-Opening Stages 

"Her name was Saki, She held no last name to speak of- if she did she wouldn't tell us. She was pulled off the streets of L-1 In A.C. 204, she was caught with petty theft, and when officers couldn't locate parents through finger printing they called us. There where no missing persons reports to be found anywhere within the systems prior to Preventer take over, or after, so we where forced to assume she was an orphan. She was underage to be living on her own, and since she didn't have a _home_ to speak of she was transferred in to CR permanent care. Saki was then transferred earth-side where she was fostered out to a Rokuro Nayoshi, Sensei of the Lightning Dojo in town." Duo looked up for the file he had been reading to take in Wufei's gaze.

"Saki wasn't getting along with a vast majority of the students, and so Nayoshi-Sensei contacted us to propose a change of location, he named Ishi na Dojo and the Owner Ayame Taylor as a perfect place for the then fifteen-year old. Kekko vouched for the placement, and since we already sent three others to foster in her care. We sent Saki to the dojo, She legally changed her name when she was seventeen to Saki Taylor out of respect for the now twenty six year old foster parent. She moved out six months ago, and was registered at Midaramai community collage, attending all her classes and lived on 9th and 37th." Duo finished before placing the simple file on the desk looking once again at the silent Wufei.

An Auburn eyebrow rose as he followed his friend's gaze. "What do you see something?" Wufei didn't answer directly, lifting a picture of the girl from his copy of CR's Files, and laying it beside the image of the body they found in the phone booth just twenty stories below. "I don't know, But I intent to figure it out." Obsidian eyes flicked up to meet Violet, "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Hey, I don't have a problem with you working along side us on this investigation." Duo flicked the end of his three-foot Auburn-braid over his shoulder. "Granted I don't think this is anything more then a suicide, one she wanted noticed." Wufei imitated Duo's earlier eyebrow raise. "And that doesn't strike you as off?"

"Of course it's off Chang, which is why CR is going to be heading any investigation in to Saki Taylor's apparent suicide, unless you have something compelling enough that Anna Une or Chairman Milles would sign off on a transferal of departments." Kekko walked in to the room briskly prepared for a long days work. "I have notified next of kin, and they are more then willing to speak with us on the matter. I have also made several phone calls to her school and know associates in her part time job placement." Duo nodded, "Right, where to first?"

"Ishi-"

"Yurigami." Wufei cut in, walking around the desk to lean on it's edge. "Will you force my hand to the point of going to Anna directly, or will you concede the case to me if I Told you Saki Taylor called me less then thirty seconds to pulling the trigger?" It was the only card he held at the moment. However it was effective enough to have both Kekko and Duo turning back to look at him. He was relaxed, but anyone who looked at him would definitively see small worry lines on the edges of his eyes.

"Are you positive?" Kekko asked, before the sound of a fax-machine ringing in the outer hall. "As positive I can be with out the guys down stairs sending me the trace i placed on my last incoming phone call." A knock on his door, signaled to him exactly what had just arrived. "Karin." The Secretary pushed open the door, her brown eyes taking in everyone present, before she subconsciously pushed a stray piece of dirty blond hair from her face. "The line trace you ordered came through."

Kekko snatched it from her hand, leaving Karin puffed, She wanted to break the woman's fingers instead she turned and walked out in a huff. "Kekko, you know you really should be nice to the other sections secretaries. Other wise they may not play ball." Wufei snorted, "Karin wouldn't play ball with anyone outside of My self, Anna and Milles. Your welcome to try though."

"Son of a bitch." Kekko muttered, lowering the file. "Why would Saki Taylor speak to you before she killed her self? Why wouldn't she call Ayame, or even Rokuro?" She looked pointedly at Wufei, "You didn't have any connections to Saki to speak of did you?"

"Who was the lead on her foster case?"

Kekko blinked, "I was." Wufei shook his head, "Then no, indirectly speaking the only connection I could possibly have with the girl would be through you and Duo simply because I am a friend of Duo and you work with him." Duo nodded following the conversation before flopping on the visitors chair leaving Kekko to remain standing. "So Why are you so interested in this case Wu-man?"

He twitched at the annoying nick name Duo had placed him with, but ignored it and lifted The photo of A green long-slide. On the slide it's self was a dragon inscribed in to the metal It's wings where open wide and head lowered as if searching for something. "Have you ever seen a weapon like this before?" He showed it to Duo, then to Kekko. "Nope, why have you?" Duo returned, and Wufei nodded.

"I actually have seen this weapon before, up close and personal." Duo blinked, "You have? When? Like before, before or earlier then that?" He rolled his wrist signaling that he was in a rush to know the answers. "Before the gundams before." Duo wanted to ask but didn't, he knew if Wufei was going to tell him it was because he was ready to or he held no choice. Duo sure as hell wasn't going to try and force it out of him.

"Where did you see it before?" Kekko asked, and Wufei looked up at her, "L-5, so I want to know how a gun that was at last check on a colony that doesn't exist anymore, ended up in the hands of a child from L-1 who was transported here to earth to be fostered. She obviously didn't have it prior to her transfer to earth because you at CR would have confiscated it." Kekko and Duo couldn't help but agree.

"Does the gun have any meaning to it?" Duo asked, and Wufei shrugged,

"The way i figure it, a gun isn't made like that just because it looks pretty. It has to mean something, and it's bound to be important. So this is why you want the case?" Duo sighed at Wufei's nod and Kekko stepped forward. "How about we make a deal, We work together on this case, you scratch our backs We'll scratch yours?"

Wufei took a minute to consider it before nodded, "Fine, I'll take next of kin, you take the school." Kekko Shook her head, "Ayame Taylor has been dealing with CR pretty well since it's inception in 202, and has grown comfortable speaking with me, she doesn't exactly approve of the whole Preventer program." Wufei rose his eyebrow, "I will speak to Ayame Taylor."

" So we'll go together, If Duo can manage the school chatting on his own for an hour with out blowing something up, we'll be set." Kekko smirked at Duo, "You figure you can handle it?" Duo stuck his tongue out at Kekko, "I hunt down run-a way's, and leap abusive parents in a single bound- Of course I can handle talking to some teachers and administrative staff." Duo stated with a finger in the air, before swishing it under Kekko's noes "I'll get the names of students who associated with Saki, and have them kept after school, so that we can both be present for the speaking."

"Good, when your ready Chang, Sensei Taylor is expecting us."

* * *

Ayame had been right in her earlier assumption that the day was going to be a long one. _Saki, you foolish child._ Her jaw was set as she walked out of her office, she was planning on heading straight up the stairs to her living quarters to see for her self if _Justice_ was indeed missing. When she caught sight of a man sitting in a plastic back chair beside Izumi's desk.

He sat watching the class that Takashi was teaching. Her eye's followed his gaze, and she forced herself to take in a slow soothing deep breath. Despite being a unorganized young adult, Ichirou Takashi was great with the younger students of her dojo, and it would be a shame for her to have to fire the young man. He had the potential to be a very good sensei. _He only needs to pull his head out of his ass long enough to realize what he is doing..._

"Sensei, you have a man here who wants to talk to you about renting space." Izumi's whispered message brought Ayame back earth-side long enough to glance at the man in the chair, she then came to the realization that he was not one of the student's elder brothers, or family members.

He was of Japanese decent, but by the way he held himself, he looked to have spent a great deal of time on the colonies recently, his shoulders sagged barely. He was a well trained athlete, and she could see on his shoulders raised scares on his arms. They were jagged and appeared to have been painful as open wounds. He leaned forward, but kept his posture straight, or as straight as he could. A denim jacket sat on the chair beside him. His hands rested under his chin as his Persian blue eyes observed the teacher on the mats. A small smile rested on his lips. His Brown hair looked as if he rolled out of bed, and hadn't bothered to brush, though Ayame could tell that was how his hair was trained.

"His name Izumi." Ayame said flicking her eyes to the woman standing beside her, watching Takashi teaching class. "Oh right. His name is Heero Yuy." Ayame could see the hesitant recognition in the woman's eyes and Ayame chuckled, "Izumi, do you so easily forget that Preventer Maxwell was also a Gundam pilot?"

"No sensei, but Duo doesn't have the look of a hardened soldier." Izumi hugged her arms, and Ayame chuckled softly, "Izumi, do you also forget that I was once a soldier as well?" The girl blinked her hazel eyes, "Actually, that one I did forget." Ayame nodded, "You would do well to remember that, Also if I have any appointments they are going to have to be pushed back, Preventer Yurigami is to be coming to talk to me and it takes presidence over everything else."

"Alright Sensei." Izumi walked around the desk, and sat in her chair. Ayame waved off her going to speak to the man in the seat, and opted to go and walk past him to sit in the chair beside his coat. "Can I help you?" She asked in a hushed voice not wanting to disturb those being taught on the mats. From her position she wasn't able to see his face, for she too was watching the class, which she noted was making Takashi nervous.

"Perhaps. Are you the owner of this dojo?" his voice was gruff, as if he had eaten fire, but the original voice still held tough in the struggle for dominance. She turned to face him. " I am, My name is Ayame Taylor, though most have taken to calling me Sensei Taylor. What can i do for you Mr. Yuy?"

He turned to look at her, his eyes trying to determine whether she was being sarcastic or if she was merely asking a simple question, she could read those thoughts as clear as day, and she supposed with a man like Heero Yuy, not recognized by face by the general public, but name for his heroism during the Alliance war, and again during the rebellion, it was to be expected he would instantly jump to suspicions. It had taken her a long time after her time within the Alliance war to forget old habits, or at very least quell them.

" I was hoping on inquiring over times when your space was free for private rental use, if possible." Ayame nodded, "I do rent out my dojo, however it comes at a high price, as well as a strict set of rules. I also do not allow my dojo to even be thought of as a rental unless i know specifically what is happening during the times it is being rented. How ever Izumi could have informed you of all of this. So is there something else you wanted to inquire over?"

He watched her for a moment before looking at Takashi once more, "I am simply taking the measure of those who run the dojo. I am very particular in where I would book _gatherings, _and with who." Ayame was slightly taken aback at the mention of gatherings, but she wouldn't allow it to show, for she could tell by the way he toned his word that it was not a general party he was wanting, but a gathering of the gundam pilots. _I have herd whispers of them gathering in one place, but never thought that it was truth._

"Does this bother you?" His gaze returned to her face, and she could feel it searching for some sign of what she was thinking, of course, she wouldn't make it that easy for him. "Why would it bother me that you wanted to take my measure? Many before you have, and there will be many more to come. I am a woman, who runs a dojo in the heart of japan. It is almost unheard of, even in this day in age. However I know this was not the reason you wanted to take my measure, you wanted to read whether or not I was trust worthy enough to house your _guests_ before attempting the application process. There is no harm in wanting to protect those you care about."

"You understand then that I would need the entire dojo." His question brought her gaze back to his and she nodded, "However, Mr. Yuy, It is not easy to book this dojo in it's entirety. It is in high demand being ranked second over all in japan. Tied in Tokyo with lightening, but I am sure Rokuro would have already told you that." At his narrowed gaze Ayame smiled slightly, "Mr. Yuy, I am not stupid, despite Ishi na Dojo being ranked as high as it is, we are still a small dojo, with limited resources, I do not advertise. You would have first gone to Lightening dojo's, and you would have been turned down simply because Rokuro Nayoshi does not approve of renting space. He is a big believer in dojo energies."

Ayame shrugged, "Rokuro and I have known each other for some time, and he sends rental inquiries my way, and I send students not fit to participate in my teachings his way. We may be rivals, but we are also very good friends. So do not look at me as if you suspect me of any forum of mind reading, or spying. I have not the time nor interest in such things."

"I apologize, You understand that despite the time that has passed, and the places of many of my brothers in society, people still do not approve of our- integration." He relaxed, but didn't remove his gaze. "So you know who will be attending, and I can see you are not lacking in intelligence so you can hazard a guess as to what will be going on at the gathering. What say you to renting the dojo to me for a day?" He asked and Ayame leaned back.

"When would you want the dojo for?" Her gaze had returned to the class that was quickly rapping up, "Next week."

"Impossible." Ayame looked at him, "If you want the dojo for any given time longer then an hour, which I am sure you would, then I need at least two weeks in advanced, since Sunday's are the only free days for entire house rentals I would also have to then re-arrange my own personal schedule to accommodate you."

Heero nodded, he understood perfectly how such matters worked, and Ayame guessed he would if what Kekko had gossip to be truth. "Then two weeks will work just fine, Now for the dojo to be unoccupied-"

"Denied. Mr. Yuy, I will not under any circumstances leave this dojo unoccupied no matter who wants to rent the space, or for what reason. As I am sure you are aware, I live in this dojo. Well above to be more accurate, I also foster children through Preventer's C.R. Unit. While this dojo is being used I shall be present, and restrictions will be applied, and enforced if necessary. There is also liability issues that are of a concern, not to mention legal ones to consider." Ayame then stood and motioned for him to follow her, as the students parents started to make their way up the paved walkway outside.

"Sensei Taylor!" A young child from Takashi's class called as he bolted from the mats to cling to her leg. She looked down at the little blonde child. "Shinji-kun, I don't believe that Takashi-sensei has released the class." The child blinked up at her with bright blue eyes, "Oh yeah, sorry. I just wanted to say hi..."

Ayame smirked down at him and placed a gentile hand on his head, "well hello, now back to class with you before you get in trouble." The boy smiled, "Yes Sensei!" When the boy ran back on to the mats Ayame listened only to the beginning of Takashi's version of giving the young boy trouble for his actions. _He has a kind heart, but he will not be able to work with the elder students if he isn't prepared to be more strict._ She thought to her self leading Heero in to her office.

"How old was that student?" He asked as she settled down in her chair, "Five, oldest in the group, he will be moving up to my classes at the end of the month." She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a large stack of papers stapled together. "Now Mr. Yuy, Before I begin with the application process, I want to give you the list of rules, regulations and requirements of rental. You have to read it over and fill out the back page which is a standard acceptance forum." She slid a section of the stack across the desk for him.

He reach over and pulled the stack to him. "Also, I would like to ask you a few questions concerning your personal reasons for renting the dojo. I do not rent out to people who do not pass these questions, so please do not believe that – should you not pass, these questions where based off of your personal history." His eyes locked with hers, and she could see the suspicion rearing to the surface once more. "I would also like to remind you that I have dealings with one of your fellow pilots on a near constant bases."

He seemed to relax slightly, but not enough to bring her any kind of ease. She understood now why Izumi was so cautious of the man, despite the years that had passed from the war, he was still living day-to-day in full soldier mode. From Ayame's experiences with such people, it never ended well for anyone involved.

Ayame pulled out a single sheet of paper and a pen from a container, "Now I will skip over the obvious questions simply because it would waste both our time in asking them. "So, Mr. Yuy, given the fact that you had indeed fought in the war, does your reasons behind practicing martial arts have any ties to the past?"

"No."

_Lie._ She thought, watching his eyes but placed his answer. "What specifically would you and your guests be dealing with when speaking of martial arts, equipment or styles?"

"Kendo, Karate, among other standard fighting tactics." Ayame nodded place the appropriate checks beside his answers. "Do you practice street fighting or brawling of any kind?"

"Yes." _Truth_ she nodded, "Any weapons involved, such as the following, Knives, daggers, katana, guns, rifles- whether show or real, among anything that could be classed as an outside or street made weapon as set by the Preventer civilian arms standards?"

"While renting no, on our own time yes." Ayame nodded, "You understand that no such weapons will be allowed on the premise during the time of rental, and that if they are seen your rental time will be terminated and no refund will be granted, regardless of who brings the weapons?"

"Yes." Ayame looked up at him, "Including Preventer personal?" He nodded, "Good." She marked off more boxes on the page and flipped it over. "Will any of your Guests be requiring the use of projectile weapons?"

He gave her a strange look, so she reiterated "Such as a Bow and arrow.."

"No."

"Will you have proper protective guarding/gear?"

"We do not use protective gear." Ayame said nothing as she scrawled his answer on the page. "

"You understand that the martial arts are also called the killing arts, and as such it does not limit the term to simply killing of a person's mortal body, but also their soul. And the art of killing will not be permitted in this dojo under any guise." He didn't answer at first, and when she looked up at him he asked. "Under what pretense does the practicing martial arts become the art of killing one's soul?"

Ayame lowered her pen watching him with a serious expression as she answered. "Many who share a common past with all soldiers wish to train when their mind has not yet come to the conclusions of their past. They hope, with such acts comes a higher ability to accept the time still not yet concluded in their minds. Many believe with this forum of training that past deeds can be omitted by the mock battles they practice. This is in essence killing that persons soul, for if they lose they are stuck in that place of uncertainty. Should they win, then it only gives them a temporary reprieve from the pain they feel over their past."

"Miss Taylor, I do not happen to agree with your assessment." Heero sat forward, "For Simply you have left out one important human condition." Ayame rose her eyebrow. "Oh?"

"You forgot that a soldier who is no longer part of the war is doomed to live for the rest of their days with their past mistakes, and should they not be able to find a place for themselves, then they must find an outlet for the pent up emotions they would keep to them selves for any number of reasons. Especially in this day in age where people still foolishly believe that Total pacifism is indeed achievable. With out the ability to use what they know as a means of venting- in a manner, then they would quickly become a weapon with out a cause, and we have witnessed more then enough of those in the last nine years." Heero watched her and she slowly sat back in her seat.

"Mr. Yuy, I do not advertise this, but I was also a soldier in the war, I understand full well the need for a means of feeling accepted in society, and many soldiers do turn to defensive arts, but that is what they should turn to. Defensive, however, martial arts isn't limited to strictly defensive, it is also offensive. Soldiers who have not received the proper help from professionals on the subjects of their haunting past tend to move more towards the offensive side of the arts, and they start to use the offensive to barrage themselves with faults should they loose, and to fault a soldier who is already classified as a potential loose cannon is dangerous if not deadly. Even more so if the Soldier is faulting them selves, or worse off those around them.

"I have been apart of the martial arts circles for most of my life, I have also watched my fare share of soldiers self-destructing, some where close friends, and some where people I respected. However, Many people share the same idea as you in this respect. They don't see it as a means of killing themselves, but as a means of release- You and Rokuro share the same opinion, however just because there is no blood being split, or physical signs of life being lost. Most fail to see that people who practice this forum of martial arts, and process of thought are killing a piece of their human soul every time they attempt to fix the past by the way of the soldier. It only serves the purpose of increasing the shadows and ghosts haunting their dreams. Those things to a highly decorated, or even the traveled soldier are deadly to not just them, but those they love.

"It quickly spirals out of control, and they hurt their loved one, even if it's by forcing them to watch while they destroy themselves one bit at a time." Ayame watched him digest the information she had handed him, and she could see that he didn't agree with her opinion.

"I see your logic for such ideas, especially if you have known those who have self-destructed, however, I do not agree with you. I will ensure you that within the best of my abilities that such on goings do not occur within the allotted time of rental, but other wise this is an impasse that would have to be a compromised upon, because this question would be entirely based off of your own personal opinions."

She didn't say anything as she lifted the pen and proceeded to write again, _Potential candidate- but currently no threat._ She looked up at him. "Final question. Mr. Yuy, but this one is simply personal in nature and holds nothing to do with this." She lowered the pen again.

He slowly nodded, "What gave you the shadows in your eyes, they seem misplaced."

"War does the strangest things to people Miss Taylor, and the same question can be applied to your self." He slowly stood from his seat pulling his jacket over his shoulders. Ayame half smirked, "Yes, I suppose it could. Alright Mr. Yuy, I'll give you the application, I will need that and the initial agreement to terms and conditions by the end of the day. On the Application I am going to need names of those who will be your guests, and on the day of rental they will need to supply Identification. No one outside of the list you give upon the application will be admitted in to the dojo."

Heero nodded as she slid a three page stack of papers attached by a staple in the upper corner of the page to him on her desk. He took the papers and tucked them under his arm, Ayame held out her hand. "I hope that your application passes, however I don't hold much of a doubt that it will. On the application's first page it will note the prices for rental, and different methods of payment. Should the payments be divided then you will have to make out the billing information on the back of page three."

He clasp her hand and she could see the slight surprise in his eyes at her grip, but quickly after the surprise the realization or remembrance flashed behind his eyes and she shook his hand. "I am sure this will be a pleasant arrangement, and potentially one that can be repeated in the future." With that she watched him leave her office, and she sunk down in to her chair and glanced at the clock on the wall. _Kekko will be here soon..._ She sighed to herself, "Grieving is better saved for later." She stood from her seat and walked out to the main hall that most of the classes where taught in. "Takashi!" She waved the sensei who was cleaning up after his class over to her.

"Sensei?" He jogged over to her, and she looked at the wall clock, "Preventer Yurigami will be arriving shortly, I am not certain as to how long she will be here for, it is an urgent matter that needs to be handled. Should it go over our time at Derek's, then you will have to go and meet Nayoshi-Sensei there. He knows what I am looking for, and you know your budget. I expect you to choose very carefully, and inform Derek himself that I will be making an appearance later on tonight."

"Yes Sensei. I won't mess this up." Ayame nodded, then looked to Izumi, "I'll be forwarding all my calls to you when they arrive, be prepared for the overflow." the brunette sitting behind the desk simply smiled, "I was born for the overflow!"

* * *

Ishi Na Dojo, from the street looked like a temple Surrounded by a high brick wall and completed with a _Tori_ archway and large wooded gates that he could see being closed at night. The top of the Wall was roofed in clay tiles that where indigenous to the feudal era of Japan pre-dating mans endeavors in to space. Wufei respected the choice of giving a little bit of history back to the area. He also couldn't help but note many of the shops that where near to the dojo had also adopted the owner's sense of style.

When he and Kekko walked through the front gates, Wufei felt like he was transported back in time, to his left was a small archery range, and his small _Sakura_ tree where in full bloom, their soft pink petals littering the bright green grass. The walk way was as wide as the entrance way, and the cobbled path line with what looked like spirit houses, but where in fact decorative lights for the night time.

The building proper was two stories tall, and took up the majority of the property. The majority of the first floor wall was glass doors and a large viewing window, to not only let in sun light, but also allow those walking up to the place of business a full open view of any on going classes inside. The outer walls themselves were a cream like plaster, complete with dark stained wooden accents, that where only carried up to the second floor where a semi-wide self suspended balcony took up residence. Two sets of windows with rice papered shutters, and a sliding door served the exit to the balcony. The roof was a deep red clay tile that matched that of the surrounding walls of the property.

The building seemed to loom before him, seemingly empty of life yet at the same time so full of the energies left behind by both owner, and students alike. He could see himself as a young boy studying his martial arts lessons sparring with his grand master in the bay window just as easily as he could picture any student here. The only difference between this building and the one he trained in, was he could sense the happiness that each of the students felt, it wasn't foreboding and no sense of expectations where weighing the image down.

He knew then that the owner was a person who respected a students freedoms and abilities to achieve greatness in all that they did simply by wanting to please those around them, including their own selves. He instantly like the woman he knew was waiting for them, and hated the fact that he had to be there to talk about a child she had found out committed the worst of offenses in any martial artists mind.

"I will warn you Wufei that Ayame Taylor is a person of authority, and will not be looked down upon. She dislikes most Preventer's because they do not see the simple fact that while on her property in any capacity that they are indeed equals. She is a person who will not look down on you and expects the same curtsies."Wufei looked at his up until then silent companion. "She may not answer questions directly, because she is a teacher she near instinctively phrases answers to make you learn. Sometimes I think she does it intentionally and sometimes I cannot tell. With this being said, respect her position, and do not question the lack of emotions that you will see when pertaining to Saki's death."

"I understand well enough the kinds of emotions that I will see for a Sensei of the martial arts, The only acceptable means of death is in defense of another, not self-indulgent suicide. She will be hardened on such matters because it would be seen in her eyes as a failure. Not on the child's side but on her own, she did not convey the lessons she wanted taught. Do not worry Yurigami, I have had my share of dealing with Sensei especially those of a masters degree." He gave her a look, and she nodded swiftly.

"I forgot that you your self are also a masters degree in most martial arts. I just want to warn you a head of time, Ayame Taylor was also a mercenary in the war, and paid dearly for her actions before CR was established. She takes the protection of her children, All of them not just those she takes in to her care, but those she teaches as well, as her first priority. Do not be overly forceful with your questions, because she will not budge if she does not wish to answer them. You will know she is not telling you the truth, but you will not be able to prove it, and with all of this in mind do not make the same mistake Duo did."

Wufei could think of many mistakes the American blunder was capable of doing when meeting a person of a like that Kekko was describing, but he had to ask. "Which mistake would that be?" Kekko smirked, "He asked for her number while she was practicing her kata's." Wufei rolled his eyes knowing exactly how that one would have played out. "Yes well, he's our duo, can't expect anything different now can we?"

They started walking up the path once more and he found that the woman he would assume was Ayame Taylor stood before the doors of the Dojo in her white Gi and black Hikama, long black hair pulled in to a high pony tale giving her the appearance of a historical Samurai, only missing the katana. Her features where stone set, as they looked at him, but when they moved to look at Kekko, they changed. She had said something to the woman he had accompanied but it was only something that Kekko would know. Much the same as how He and the other Former Gundam Pilots where able to communicate with out much speech when the need arose.

Wufei wouldn't comment on the look, knowing that the two women had shared a history together when dealing with the Children in the care of CR and placing them. He had read before meeting leaving Preventer that Ayame Taylor had notations in the CR department for being an outside consultant. Also that most of the children who where stationed in Tokyo, where enrolled in to her dojo- or The Lightening dojo's. He always made it habit to know who he was going to interview long before he walked to their door.

'_I am going to have to make a point of going to talk to Nayoshi-Sensei, For he had contact with the girl in the beginning of her enrollment in to the system._' He thought to himself. Just then Wufei felt familiar eyes on him, and he stalled slightly to turn and look back up the path. He spied Heero Yuy standing across the street outside the dojo property in front of a motorcycle that he should have recognized. He could only wonder what Heero Yuy was doing at Ishi na Dojo though he held suspicions that he already knew. Unfortunately Until the case was closed Wufei wouldn't be able to visit the dojo on any other premise then a professional one. He knew the ex-pilot of the Wing Gundam 01 was also well enough aware of this face.

Wufei held not doubt in his mind that they would be having a conversation following this interview, if not directly after, but in the near future. The thought no sooner had crossed his mind, as Heero Yuy climbed aboard the machine, placed the helmet on his head and drove away.

* * *

Duo sighed as he walked out of Midaramai community collage, of course none of the staff had noticed any changes in the woman who had committed suicide that morning, simply because there where too many damned students per-class. He hated that aspect of the more privatized schooling systems. Granted he hated the public schooling systems more. Teachers saw, but generally didn't care.

"At least the girl wasn't a social butterfly, it narrows down the list of people that she kept in contact with, but it also makes my job a little bit harder. Ah well, The only other place that she held any contact with the outside world was _Ishi na Dojo."_ Duo said to himself as he rolled his eyes and opened his phone, it rang twice before being answered with a barked. "What do you want Maxwell I am in the middle of a _meeting_."

"Yeah, Ke-chan I know but I figured I would let you know that the school is a dead end. I am going to be heading down to her place of work, You know since the big wigs in Preventer have enforced the whole _communication with your buddy_ system." He Stated simply, as the sound of a door closing and an echo came to Kekko's voice. "Okay, Didn't think the school would serve much of a purpose but it had to be checked off the list."

"Yeah Tell me about it, Maybe we should get Carson to get a tighter leash on those school board bureaucratic monkeys?" He laughed slightly, "Ayame has given me and Chang a list of people that Saki was involved with inside the Dojo and a few names of those she was rather close with outside. Though I doubt highly that we will get anything from them. Ayame Insists that this was _Not_ Saki. Nothing indicated that the girl was capable of such a thing. I would like to believe her, but well the proof is staring us in the face unfortunately." Duo couldn't help but agree.

"Also Duo, We will be meeting with Saki's current Class tomorrow at 5pm, hopefully by then the press hasn't gotten a hold of any information that will clue in the students because Ayame is going to inform them after we speak to them individually." Kekko sighed on her side of the line. "That seems like the best way to do it. Cruel in a sense because they won't know until after they are questioned, but their minds will be clearer that way."

"That's what Ayame said, and I agree with her." Duo nodded as he stopped at his car, "Anything else I need to know about? What is Wufei's angle?" He herd Kekko move the phone, and a loud screech that made him pull his ear away. "Sorry Maxwell, your brain still intact?" Violet eyes glared at the phone, "What is hell was that?"

Kekko chuckled, "Izumi, Takashi-sensei scared her again. Now about Wufei's angle, I think he is rather focused on the gun and crime scene evidence side of things for the moment. I would expect him to be in the office for the majority of the day following this interview."

"Right'O, I won't blow anything up at Saki's former place of employment. I'll meet you back at the office." Snapping closed the cell phone, Duo walked over to the Preventer Issue car, looking over the roof of it, he took a final look around the moderate sized campus and all the students within his age category that attended the school. "I can't say I envy them any, though it would have been nice to have a chance to try this school thing out on a more permanent bases, Ah well." Sliding in to the drivers seat, Duo started the car and drove away. _Mental note, Kick Yuy's Ass for steeling Bertha again._ _I Hate these crap machines Preventer calls vehicles._

* * *

_**So that was chapter two. Man, I hope everyone enjoyed it. I know I did. So Let me know what you think about the revision. I really want to know~! I am saddened by the fact that I only got one review! I hope everyone hasn't given up hope on me yet~! **_

_NEXT TIME ON FIVE DRAGONS: _

A Breakfast meeting between old friends. Twists in the investigation lead Preventer away from the truth of the case at hand. Ayame Taylor's second meeting with Heero Yuy and a Shuttle lands in Tokyo that holds faces we all should remember. All the While, Wufei Chang can't seem to get Ayame Taylor out of his thoughts long enough to keep his head on the investigation, She reminds him of some one- the question is who.

Meanwhile, Somewhere in Tokyo A Mysterious Woman plots to stir things up, and create a mess that once cleaned no one will come out the same again.

All this and more in Chapter Three of _The Five Dragons : Search for Thorns_


	3. Chapter 3 Search for Throns pt 1

_**Authors Notes: Okay so I now have made it to three chapters, and haven't lost my stride. Whoop!~ So this is marking something good ^^; I hope you like this chapter of Five Dragons. Remember Read & Review! **_

Introduction:

_She stood watching the three men sitting in a diner on an early Wednesday morning. Seemingly unaffected by the previous days events. It made her frown as she contemplated what it would take to catch their full attention. 'Damn war has desensitized people to death, even if it is of the young. Well then maybe I will have to bring about the death of the much younger. Maybe I will catch _her_ attention then. After all as the saying goes... A rose by any other name.' _With that the woman stood up and left the diner, a bill sitting on her empty table.

Chapter Three- Search for Thorns

Wufei watched slightly amused as two of his closest friends argued over the goodness that was cinnamon toast, of all things. Heero Yuy's argument was mostly silent, while his fellow Preventer Duo Maxwell took to his normal out-bursting hand-waving approach. The sight for all those who knew both men, would have had anyone laughing.

"My point is still valid Yuy! You know damn well that Cinnamon Toast is the best breakfast food on the planet!" Duo said slamming his hands down on the small cafe table which was thankfully empty in an attempt to make his point that much more concrete.

Heero countered with a risen brow, which ended the argument as the waitress a timid little thing, brought over their breakfast and coffee. Duo smiled pleasantly up at said waitress, earning a fond, if not forced smile in return. "Duo your unusually more hyped this morning? Something happen to perk your spirits?" The woman asked making Heero glance at Wufei who both shrugged and looked to Duo.

"Naw, I was debating the goodness of cinnamon toast." The woman laughed lightly in to her now empty tray, "I herd, Well enjoy." She turned away after nodding at the table. The conversations where minimal for most of their eating, however Duo made a point of moaning under his breath as he ate his own cinnamon toast. Which had the desired effect of having Heero roll his eyes and Wufei smirk.

Wufei was fond of the time he got to spend with his two brothers, even if at times he simply wanted to kill one of them on the point of sheer stupidity. Duo was the wild card that either made him want to explode from his sheer idiocy, or made the day seem much brighter then it was. Heero was his intelligent conversationalist, the strong rock in the middle of what could be an over whelming river.

Despite their now friendly competitive sides, Wufei still felt the pain of his ways during the Rebellion. It only took one look for the Japanese ex-pilot of the wing gundam to have him remembering just how much they meant to one another. It didn't remove the actions he had taken, but he knew that he had long ago been forgiven. Which was enough.

They're weekly breakfast at_ E-street Bagels _was a time Wufei found he could completely relax and not have to worry about on-goings in his Preventer life. Both his brothers made him feel that way, but simply not asking questions that everyone else seemed to do. Today that feeling was much needed considering the death of Saki Taylor the day before.

Wufei didn't realize he had zoned in to his own thoughts until a piece of crust from Duo's toast was being waved under his nose. "Earth to Wu-man, are you alright?" Wufei glared at the nickname only to get a smirk in return. "Welcome back."

He only narrowed his eyes and forked up some of his eggs. "So, since Wufei is going to be all silent and brooding what are your plans today Hee-chan?" Heero showed no outward signs of irritation which was a feat, Wufei knew.

"I have some errands to run, one is ensuring all the arrangements for our Gathering are finalized." At the mention of Ishi na Dojo Wufei looked up, a sign of rising concern openly displayed on his features. "Is there something that bothers you about the dojo?" He asked and Heero shook his head.

"Naw, Heero wouldn't have openly admitted he was going there in that tone of voice if there was something wrong. I think he is intrigued by one pretty little- HEY!" Duo snapped as his head was jerked back violently.

Wufei blinked to see that a Kekko Yurigami had crept up behind them and tugged rather forcefully on Duo's braid. Only a select few people could get away with such a thing and live to tell about it later. "Maxwell your shift started twenty minutes ago, I've been trying to get you to answer your phone for the last hour."

Duo's tension suddenly changed from anger to that of a child getting caught cutting classes. "Oh, Geeze mom, Can't I stay a few minutes longer?" Duo mock whined as he stood up dropping his share of the bill on the table. Kekko stood glaring at the American, much to both Wufei and Heero's amusement. Despite her shorter stature she made Duo look three feet tall.

He sighed which had Kekko raise an eyebrow, "How about I spell it out to you this way Maxwell." Duo cringed at the last name, "One of yours flew the nest." Wufei blinked looking at the woman, "Not another one, Who is it this time?" Duo asked getting in to business mode as he pulled on his Preventer's jacket. "Tyler Makinnin."

Duo's eyes took on an all business look as he turned back to the two remaining at the table, "Well I hate to eat and run, but it would seem I don't have a choice today. I'll see you later." He waved at them as his walked hurriedly out with Kekko.

Heero had turned in his seat, looking at the woman who was now giving Duo details as they walked out of the cafe. Wufei knew that the man hadn't been in the city long enough to know who she was. "Kekko Yurigami, the head of Children's Relations."

Heero nodded knowing what he was saying, "Does she have ties to your present case?" He asked and Wufei nodded, "She was the personal worker for Saki Taylor, though that is as far as it goes." The conversation was dropped soon after leaving Wufei to brood over the rumor he had herd of the woman's close ties with Ishi na Dojo.

"What are you thinking?" Heero asked in a near whisper breaking his concentration, but Wufei didn't get a chance to answer as his cell phone rang. "Chang?" He answered after glancing at the call display, A smile lit his eyes as he looked to Heero, "Right, we'll be there to pick you up." he closed his phone and Heero rose an eyebrow again, but knew by Wufei's look who exactly was on the phone. "We have two hours, think you can spare that time?" At Heero's nod, they fell in to a comfortable silence, and Heero's question was left unanswered.

While in the silence, Wufei found himself thinking back on his conversation with one Ayame Taylor, after Kekko Yurigami had left the room.

_'What is your interest in the case Preventer Chang, because this is clearly a CR affair, and Kekko doesn't like to play ball.' _She had asked it while keeping complete eye contact with him, and her bright blue eyes that weren't the normal colour for a person of Japanese decent seemed to capture his very soul at that moment. _'That I cannot Tell you Sensei Taylor, since this is an ongoing investigation. However I would like to answer your question with a question. What do you know of this weapon?'_

He had pulled the photo out of his pocket, and showed it to her. He had seen something flashing behind her eyes but it was gone so quickly that he didn't have a chance to analyze it further. _That look still bothers me. She denied having seen the weapon before, but I know she had. Kekko was right about that little aspect of the woman. It reminds me of someone, I just can't remember who._ He automatically lifted his breakfast coffee to his lips and took a drink. _Despite her outward appearance of calm, I could tell there was a cyclone of hidden emotions in her gaze, yet self disappointment wasn't one of them. It was almost __like she expected the girl to be capable of the act of suicide. Though she expressed admittedly that she had shown no signs of one on the verge. I can only wonder at the woman's thoughts. Did she honestly believe that every human being held the large chance of committing that very act. Or is she simply that jaded to the world around her that death of any kind doesn't phase her. _

Wufei looked up at Heero, "What do you think would push someone to expect death at every turn in their life?" the question had caught Heero off guard, and the man sat back in his seat. "This have to do with a case?"

At his nod, Heero seemed to go in to deep thought. "The person would have had to have gone through a lot in their life. It couldn't be any one thing, though watching many die would be the beginning I would think. With the war, I would also have to say that they did a fair bit of killing themselves. Both inside and out of a mobile suit. A person who would expect death or seem unphased by or event death to someone close to them would have to understand just how fragile life is."

"Do you expect death often?" Wufei asked and Heero half shrugged, "It's always a possibility, but I do not look for how many ways death could come to me? No, It's not healthy and it would only serve to dull my own sight and place me at a greater risk of injury. Do you?"

"It comes with the job description, though like you I don't look at it all the time. I wouldn't be very good at my job if I did. I simply look at who could push someone else to their deaths." Heero grunted in understanding, "Barton is with winner on the shuttle correct?" Heero changed topics, and Wufei gladly accepted the change of pace. "Yes, and it sounded like Barton brought his sister with him again."

"Did you expect anything less?" Heero asked as he finished off his coffee his eyes watching Wufei with a look oddly playful. "Of course not, though I think Maxwell has started to alter my sense of thought, because I wonder sometimes if there isn't something more between those two." Heero Chuckled, "I can assure you, there is nothing more then a platonic brother sister relationship between them."

"I saw you standing outside of Ishi na Dojo yesterday, does this mean you have picked there to be our gathering place?" At Heero's nod, Wufei couldn't help but smirk. "I told you Rokuro Nayoshi would deny you rights to rent lightening."

"So you did."

"I assume you went directly to the owner of the dojo." At Heero's nod, Wufei continued, "What did you think of the woman?" Heero set his empty coffee cup on the table, "Ayame Taylor is very set in her beliefs, and they have come by experiencing the war as a soldier. She is observant and very quick to read people. I think she is trust worthy, but as far I saw, she guards herself very closely. Her office is barren of any kind of photographs, and her dojo is practically the same. She pays very close attention to detail, and that could come from her martial arts degrees, or it could simply come from her experiences during the war. In either case, she would have made difficult opponent to face on the field of battle."

"Hence why she is still alive." Wufei added. "Hence, though something does bother me about the woman in general, but I can't seem to place it, not yet at any rate." That piece of information made Wufei blink, but he said nothing. "She will be present during the gathering."

"I am not surprised by that, though it is a little unnerving to have an outside observer for it. Is there any rules that I need to be aware of?" Heero nodded slowly, " Your side arm." Wufei sighed, despite expecting such a thing. "The woman really doesn't trust Preventers." At that Heero looked over his shoulder and signaled a waitress for more coffee. "Who said that?"

"Kekko Yurigami has had considerable dealings with her in the past, she warned me that Ayame Taylor isn't too fond of most Preventers." He could tell that Heero understood that sentiment, "I happen to agree there."Wufei nodded, "I know. Though, it's not exactly a perfect organization, nothing ever is."

"It's a necessary one."

* * *

_She stood by the phones holding a receiver to her ear, her brown eyes scanned the corridors behind her. The shuttle was full of unexpected passengers, and she knew _That woman_ wouldn't like to have her plan foiled because she didn't report the presences straight away. _

"~What are you doing calling this number Cyrill?~" The venom spat through the phone making her flinch slightly, "I thought that you would want to know that all five replacements are gathering." She shifted as a man shuffled towards the toilets on the other side of the shuttle blocking her view of those she was watching. Her light brown hair slipping over her denim clad shoulder.

"~Really? That is _wonderful!_~" At the chipper child-like glee in the woman's voice she relaxed, " They brought a tag along as well, judgment's replacement has adopted a sister it would seem." She reported her eyes trailing the length of the standing woman, who's red-ish brown hair was tied back out of her face, in a long-ish pony tail. "~_It would seem that everything well be going just fine. Once you land Cyrill you will meet me at the pier this little spider has a web to spin, and I cannot risk you dear sister being caught in it.~"_

"right. I can do that, I assume you have finally found her again?"

A long pause greeted her, followed by a long low chuckle, "Oh I have done more then just find her, I have found _them_ as well." Then the line click off, and Cyrill was left blinking at the phone. _Well that is an interesting little fact. I hope that she doesn't underestimate those pilots though, they are very observant._

* * *

They stood on in the rampart waiting for the shuttle passengers to disembark. Both men silent and waiting patiently, though that silence was shattered when a woman called "_HEERO!"_ before they could react, the woman was attached to the brunette, making Wufei have to force his smirk from his face. "Catherine." Was Heero's stiff response. "How have you been keeping your self, no ribs poke out of your sink I hope!" The woman let go of Heero, only to have her finger prodding Heero's sides in inspection.

It amazed Wufei to no end just how much Trowa Barton's sister got away with, granted he knew that the woman held a hand in keeping him alive during the war. Though, it didn't seem to make a difference, the scene still was highly entertaining. "Cathy, Heero Is a big boy, I am sure he can take care of himself." Wufei turned to see Quatre winner standing in his posh, black three piece traveling suit, his blonde hair in need of a trim, A bag sitting at his feet with wheels. Beside him stood Trowa Barton, in a navy blue sweater, and dark jeans holding his trademark over the shoulder bag, which during the war held all his worldly possessions.

His hair sat in the same style of the over the left eye bangs, and short back. Not much had changed with the men over the years, within the exception of age. Wufei found it hard to believe that they where all in the age range of 27 years old. None of them had ever had the luxury of believing they would live through the war.

"Alright Trowa, but you know I can't help but worry about him. The man is a reckless fool." Wufei smirked, "That is what makes Yuy who he is." Catherine whipped around and looked at Wufei a sheepish smile on her face, "Wufei, I didn't see you there, I guess it's because you are good at hiding in plane sight. That and I don't have to worry about your health, your meticulous."

Catherine hugged him, and he returned it stiffly, " I shall take that as a compliment." Bright Grey-purple eyes smiled at him. "That is because it is." The four pilots and one sister walked through the J.A.P. Interplanetary Shuttle Port.

All the while a single woman watched them as she cautiously made her way out, catching often the eyes of Trowa Barton Preventer Wufei Chang watching her.

* * *

His breath puffed out in measured pants, his legs feeling the beginning of fatigue. He wondered if he was getting old, and that was why he couldn't seem to catch one snot nosed kid. Duo's braid smacked the side of a dumpster echoing a loud thrumming echo through the length of the alley-way. A head of him an ungodly distance the boy he was chasing turned to look at him. His eyes of deep hazel widening in shock. _Yeah, kid be very afraid. You are making me chase you like some boogeyman, man I HATE that image. _

Duo pushed himself to speed up, the kid slowing for one reason or another, Duo didn't care why he could only thank his lucky stars. He had been tracking and chasing the boy for the last three hours, if not longer. "Hey Tyler! Seriously dude, Stop running." Duo reached out his hand and gripped the boy by the shirt sleeve. "Man, you kids are what keep me so fit I swear." Duo slid to a stop, tugging Tyler along with him. Keeping hold on the boys upper arm, Duo bent over to try and catch his breath.

The sixteen-year-old scowled at him, his eyes reading murder. Duo blinked at the boy, "What? You can't seriously be pissed at me. I didn't do anything but my job, you on the other hand, you keep landing your self in trouble with CR." Duo tugged him along back down the alley-way, before letting the boy go, as he fell in to step.

"Seriously Tyler, what the hell is the big problem that drives you to run right back to the streets? Every home we have put you in, you have run from. Why?" Duo didn't push the boy, he understood the feeling of authority keeping him rooted in place, not allowing freedom. It was the one part of the job Duo hated, but now understood.

They reached his car and Duo opened the passengers side door and waited until the boy was seated before closing the door and climbing in the drivers side. "I feel trapped." The boy finally said in a near whisper. Duo took a better look at the boy he had been helping since he was eleven years old. The boy had blonde streaked brown hair, cut about in inch long. He was tanned, but clearly not a native to the country. He was shorter then most guys his age, but Duo didn't mind, being one of the same in that regard. He had hazel eyes that where far to narrow for his age, darkened by the life he had been forced to live on the colonies. Duo could relate. Which was why he was one of the best CR officers on the job.

"Look Tyler, I know how you feel. But the streets aren't a home you want to return to, trust me." Duo started the car engaging the child locks on all the doors excluding his own. The boy glared at him. "How the Hell would you know anything about it?" The sentiment made Duo chuckle, "How indeed." He pulled the car out in to traffic, before glancing at the moping boy.

"Look Tyler, I used to live on the L-2 streets during the beginnings of the alliance take over. Your too young to remember that time, but I remember it well. The streets are dangerous, and they are cruel, not a place for anybody to live especially a child." Tyler scoffed at the very idea. "I was doing just fine before your kind came swooping in and snatching us away like the vultures you are."

Duo had herd the same song and dance so many times before it was getting old, the fact that he had also at one time said the same things was a harsh reminder of what could happen to the children in CR care if they didn't keep a vigilant eye on all of them. "Look I don't care if you believe me or not Tyler. Preventer created CR because of the lives we have seen the streets ruin. It's your generation that is going to be inheriting our problems and our lives when the time comes. I don't want to see such intelligent people go to waste because they don't like authority. I understand the feeling of being smothered, and trapped by authority. I have been in your exact same position. Before the war changed everything."

Tyler despite trying not to look interested in what Duo was saying, turned and looked at him. "How could you understand it, your a gundam pilot, an authority all your own." Duo blinked at that, the mere fact that people still believed that Gundam pilots held more authority over the common people was ludicrous at best. "I was a gundam pilot Tyler, that fact is a history I am glad and saddened for. However, I am no longer a gundam pilot because the gundams are no longer needed. Who ever told you that we have any kind of authority over anyone else aside from our jobs in society now- they lied. We have to follow the laws like everyone else. That includes you."

The boy licked his lips. "Look, I don't like group homes, they are dumb. The adults there treat us like we are stupid, and don't know anything, they treat us like..." Duo smirked, "Like children?" He supplied, and Tyler nodded, "Exactly, I bet they have never had to worry about half the stuff that I have, yet they treat me like I am some dumb kid who doesn't know how to cross the street."

"Well if you didn't persist in acting like a child Tyler, then maybe they wouldn't treat you like one. In life you cannot gain anything with out some kind of payment, whether it be by working, or money in form. You have to give before you can take. It's the way it has always been. You some how have gotten it in your mind that it's alright not to obey laws, skip you classes and steel despite the fact that you are being provided for." Duo pulled to a stop at a red light, and looked Tyler straight in the eye.

"Why don't you try looking at it this way Tyler, Your being given a free ride, that many kids like you still don't have. Your getting food every night, you have shelter that isn't going to be stolen from you, and you are able to do practically what ever you want. You don't need to worry about if your going to be warm during the winter, and your not going to have to worry about if someone is going to kill you over the shirt on your back- or worse." He paused as the light changed, "The only things that are asked of you is to go to school, graduate, and do some menial chore that you need to know when you age out in two years and are on your own again. Two years isn't a long time, and CR will only be able to help you for a year after that." Tyler looked out the window.

"It feels like an eternity." The boy stated to no one in particular.

"When the time comes where you don't have a choice again, do you really want to look back on what you had, the chance that many are wishing for- that you wished for once upon at time, and see that you didn't even try? Listen, If I could do my life over again, I would. I wouldn't have spent all that time running away from my group homes, I wouldn't have gotten myself entangled in the war, and I sure as hell wouldn't have been the one to watch my friends die. However, these things of my past, no matter how hurtful, or comfortable I may have at one time been with them. They are the past, they make me who I am, but at the same time they give me something to work against. I don't want to go back to that time, to the fear always surrounding me, wondering if someone bigger and stronger then I am was going to come up and be the end of me. I don't want that for me, or for you. Tyler, L-3 streets aren't much better then L-2's. I know what your feeling, the longing of freedom. Little do you realize for the first time in your life, you are free."

Duo pulled to a stop outside the Preventer CR office, a blue mini-van sat in the visitors parking where it had been when he had left earlier in the morning. "Tyler, I don't know what could be so bad about having a woman caring about you, a mother who only wants to see you safe and secure. She has been here since you where reported missing from school this morning." The boy looked at the mini-van making a face.

"Hey, Do you know what I would give to have a mother?" Tyler started and looked at Duo head on, "Don't snub the things you are being given. Make something of your self, because finally you are free to choose what that is. I don't want to see you in the obits, or worse as a headline two years from now because Preventer's had to intervene. You might not see it Tyler, but I give a damn."

Duo turned off the car and opened the door motioning for Tyler to follow suit. "You are going to have to also learn Tyler that there are consequences for your actions. Since you persist in running away, your going to be fitted with an ankle tracker."

"For how long?" He spat back, his glare turning back on at duo. "For as long as it takes to drill in to your head until your of age to make decisions for your self that you will be following the rules, you will be attending every class and you will pass all your damn classes. Until you learn to appreciate what you have!" Duo grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck, "If I have to drill it in to you myself."

Tyler squeaked, but blinked at Duo. "You really give a damn. Never thought I would see a Preventer give a damn about us kids. Ah well to bad your sense of style sucks." Duo mock gasped, "What's wrong with my sense of style?"

"You look like a girl!" Tyler laughed at the look on duos face, "It's because it makes punks like you underestimate my abilities!" Duo struck a pose, before slapping Tyler on the shoulder, "Seriously though you know you have to have the monitor for at least a month." At Tyler's nod, Duo clapped him on the shoulder again, "Good, now move yer ass, I don't have all day to spend chasing you around the city, beyond popular belief I do actually have a life outside of _ruining _yours."

Tyler rolled his eyes, but proceeded through the front doors of the three story building, and was instantly accosted by Mariana Parks, a short blond with puffy red eyes. "You Stupid Boy!" She cried as she clung to Tyler who sent duo a look, but sighed and started trying to smooth over the woman's wet feathers.

"So you caught him, good job." Kekko chuckled as she walked out from the coffee machines, "Just in time to grab one and get going to Ishi Na Dojo." Duo sighed, "Yes mom!"

* * *

Duo looked at his watch, leaning his head on the cold table top before him. "Man, I never thought we would get through all of those." Kekko sighed, "It wasn't so bad, it was only twenty people." Duo Groaned, "Sure didn't feel like it."

Kekko could sympathize, "Yeah well you've had a long day, We just have a couple more things to do then your free to gallivant around town as you please." Duo pouted, "I don't Gallivant, I walk." Kekko opened the interview room door and stepped out in to the main area of the Dojo, they could barely see the mats where the class was listening to Ayame give announcements as the class ended.

"Come on, We have to just follow up with Ayame, then we can go back to the office, lock up and go home." Duo perked up, "No reports today?" Kekko chuckled, "Nope, I am not in the mood, and I know you won't do it unless I force you to. So, we can do them tomorrow. Besides, you need to find Chang and talk to him. I couldn't contact him in the office today, and I forgot to speak to him when I went looking for you."

Duo sighed, "Yeah well, I'll probably see him later on tonight anyway so it's all good." They walked down the hall slowly, listening to Ayame talking. "At the end of the month all classes will be canceled for two weeks for the rest period before the tournaments." Kekko and Duo rounded the corner. She paused and looked up at them.

"You all know why Preventer's Maxwell and Yurigami are here, you have spoken to them and you have learned the reason for their inquiries in to Saki's personality, and where bouts over the last few weeks. If you with held any information concerning Saki, because you felt you where protecting her, then it is up to you to talk to them. I will not hold it against you, nor with they." Ayame then after sweeping the room with her gaze, she stood straight. "With this being said, your dismissed."

Duo and Kekko waved at Ayame before making their way towards the large glass doors, Kekko making the sign for her to be calling later. "So, since Ayame doesn't seem to be in the mood for discussions right this moment, that would mean we are free for the rest of the day." Duo looked at her wide eyed. "Your being serious aren't you?"

"Uh-huh, I have shopping I need to do, and a house to clean." Kekko stretched her shoulder before walking to her car. "I'll give you a life back to the office, if you lock up." Duo kissed her on the cheek, "You have a deal!" Kekko didn't need to ask what had Duo so excited, she had a fairly good idea after seeing heero yuy driving away from the dojo just yesterday. He let out a whoop for playing hookie, before diving in to the passengers seat. "Come on Ke, I don't have all day... oh wait, Yes I do!" she could only roll her eyes at him before following behind him.

* * *

Thursday mornings where generally slow for Izumi, and this Thursday was no different. She sat behind her desk watching as Takashi-sensei stood on the kendo mats giving a _privet_ lesson, and Ayame-sensei was nowhere to be found. _Most likely gone to Derek's. _She propped her chin on her hand bored. _I wonder if I __could get a private lesson from Takashi-sensei?_ She wondered and proceeded to fall in to a blissful state of day dreaming. It was however cut short by a woman clearing her throat. She blinked and looked towards the origin of the noise. Instead of it being Ayame as she had thought at first it was another woman standing there in a brown delivery uniform A ball cap covering the top of her head and hiding most of her face. Red hair poked out of the bottom of the cap.

The woman held out a brown wrapped package. "For Ayame Taylor." She said impatiently, like she wanted to be else where doing something other then delivering packages. "I can sign for it." Izumi stood from her chair, and took the package, which the woman placed a clipboard on the top of.

Izumi didn't bother looking over the work order, she simply signed and waited for her to give her the secondary copy. The woman tore it off hastily, and practically threw the paper at Izumi. She walked out and Izumi wasn't in the least sad to see her go. "Of all the, I should report her conduct." the secretary muttered placing the package off to one side. "I hate nervy people." She grumbled standing from her seat.

* * *

The snap of the cord, whooshing of breath, accelerated heart rate. All brought about a sense of longing in her as she watched the feathers careening through the air towards their intended target. Hyper sensitive nerve endings flared at the feeling of the cord slipping away from her arm, barely touching, a whisper of air. It was eternal bliss like nothing she had felt before, each time she let an arrow fly it felt just as exhilarating as the very first time.

The thunk of the arrow hitting it's target broke the spell she momentarily had been enraptured in. A soft male chuckle brought a smirk to her face, her bright blue eyes flicking to her left as she lowered the _Yumi_ towards the ground relaxing. "Why are you laughing?"

"You treat it so delicately, I am not sure whether to be entertained or insulted. You know my equipment is top of the line, it won't break... even under your strain." The man said simply, as she looked at him, his dark eyes of brown alight with entertainment and his aging face weathered and wrinkling. "Do not be a fool Derek, If I wanted to test the quality of your equipment, I would not have picked up a beginners _Yumi, _I would have grabbed a higher tension."

Derek laughed, his brown-Grey tinted hair shifted as he did so. Ayame merely lifted an eyebrow in response. "How could a beginner even hold a change to draw the string when they haven't the practice nor the strength to do so? Yeah I know. Don't give me that look Ayame Taylor, or did you forget who taught you to use that bow?"

"No Derek, I did not, however did you forget who it was you taught?" Ayame responded before setting the bow in his up turned hands. "How could I forget, After all I taught all five of you girls. So young, and so cold in the eyes. I had never seen something so frightening, and I don't think I ever have since. You know It's nice to see that despite all that you have lived through, all the pain you have suffered, watching those sisters of yours-"

"Derek!"Ayame turned to face him, "Do not continue." She warned, her eyes a lit with a fire that was if nothing else, menacing. "I was only saying that despite all of that you have finally begun to re-gain the light of youth they aren't as cold as they where when we first met. For that I am glad." Ayame lifted a Shinai off a rack and swung it in a looping arch. "Are you calling me weak?"

"Hardly, A rose with any other name, the same could be said of a Dragon to could it not?" Derek walked across the test ground and lifted a Clip board. "standard set amount?" He asked and she nodded, "Derek, let me ask you then, What of a rose with out it's thorns, or a dragon with out it's cunning?"

"In this time a rose should not need it's thorns, and a Dragon does not lose it's cunning, you should know that above all things." Derek wrote on the paper, "How many arrows? What kind of heads?"

"Standard heads, I'll need two-thousand." Ayame replaced the shinai, before looking back at the old man. "What if I have need of both cunning and thorns?" Derek placed his clip board back on a stool, and looked her square in the face. "What is going on?"

"_Justice_ has gone missing, and Saki has died, by her own hand, using the weapon of her elder sister. She never knew of it's existence, I never told her the story... I fear old ghost's are haunting me." Ayame rubbed her hands on her upper arms to ward off the sudden chill she had gotten. Derek's hands quickly replaced hers. "Should thorns be necessary once more, they will not be yours. Those boys who took over your duties are bond not only by rights of succession but also a few by law to hunt down such retched beings and bring them to justice. They will be the ones to wear the thorns."

"What if_ they _are responsible? How can I just stand by and let them toy with people who know nothing of this past, of this part of history? I am torn Derek, I do not know which way to turn, Follow training and ignore the processes that do not deal with me. Or, should I break the laws by which I was raised, and expose the secrets I have works most of my life to protect? My heart does not know, and my brain is little more help. You are not bound by the same laws, what should I do?" She turned to him, looking for guidance of a man who both knew of what she spoke, and also held the wisdom of years she could only imagine.

"Do nothing for now, because as it stands you are simply assuming the worst. Ayame, Rina didn't train you to jump every time someone says boo. Rina taught you much better then that. Do not be so quick to dawn the wings once more. It could be nothing more then the girl has seen the weapon one day, and decided it was much simpler to get to then trying to find one in the underground. It saddens me to hear of the girls death. She was young, but it is not uncommon especially in this day an age." Derek's vein riddled hand patted her cheek.

"You cannot expect them to be as strong willed as you have proven your self to be. They haven't witnessed the same as you have, and I know I have told you before that you have to be more understanding of another point of view. Sometimes you cannot understand their actions, and that is alright, so long as you know it was their choice to make and their consequences to accept. Does this mean you cannot be mad, or saddened by what has come about? Of course not, dear girl, penning up your emotions serves you no good, as you not only tell your students but others as well. Sometimes the best advice to follow is your own. " the old man smiled at her.

"Right now I think it's best not to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Being prepared is fine, but do not dwell on what may never come. Now, I have a gift for you!" He clapped her on the shoulder, "It was given to me from an acquaintance of ours. They thought that you would rather enjoy having it."

Derek led Ayame out of the room, one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder, like an old grand father conspiring against a mother- ready to give sweats before dinner.

* * *

Wufei stood in on the balcony of Quatre's penthouse in the Winner Tower of Tokyo looking out the window he found he couldn't stop thinking of his encounter with Ayame Taylor. He was unnerved by a great many things and it wasn't the way she had avoided talking about the weapon Saki Taylor had used, but something more.

Her piercing Crystalline blue eyes gave her an eerie quality on their own, yet at the same token it wasn't her eyes colour, more over the solidarity she held within them. He knew with out a doubt the woman had seen a great many horrors, yet at the same token he held the feeling she had not seen enough of them to justify it. For some reason the woman hated nearly everything, yet hated nothing. A tap on the sliding door window broke his concentration. That in it's self told him he was far to distracted, if he could be caught off guard by the people he felt most comfortable with, then they would indeed begin to worry- it was not wise to allow the assembled men to worry.

"Is something wrong Wufei?" Quatre's voice questioned, as he turned from looking at nothing to facing the owner of the entire building and empire it represented. "You cannot tell me you have not herd, I am sure Yuy has told you by now." He stated and the blonde seemed to look more confused then anything else. "What do you mean, the case your working on? I only herd that you and CR are working together on it, I didn't know that it was something that could cause you to worry so much. The only thing Heero has told me was that he had booked a Dojo for our gathering next week, nothing more."

Wufei sighed, "Then you don't need to worry for the moment." The blonde smiled yet Wufei could read the worry floating about the backs of the man's deep sky blue eyes. "You always worry far too much Winner, that is your fundamental weakness in life you do realize this do you not?" It was only then did the blonde owner of the estate smile truly. " As you and the others constantly remind me." The blonde pause and blinked at the sky, "Perhaps it would be best to continue our conversation indoors, for it does look like it is about to rain."

"Perhaps."

The inside of the winner pent house was quite large, yet at the same time small compared to the many houses that Wufei had both the privilege and great disdain of viewing. As he entered the main foyer of the _house_ he was accosted by a blur of auburn. He stood rigid as stone, waiting for the inevitable squeal that followed the attack, yet for some reason it didn't come. "Your upset." The man currently hugging him like a child stated with a slight pout to his voice, "-And this time it can't be blamed on me..."

The man pushed back and held him at arms length, violet eye's looking deeply in to his own coal eye's. "Does this have to do with what your not supposed to be thinking about right at this moment?" Duo asked and Wufei sighed."Oh come on Wu-Wu there is no way you cannot be happy to see me of all people, right?" He paused for a split of a second and lifted a figure before Wufei's lips, "Don't answer that."

Violet eyes flicked in the direction of the blonde and smirked, "Well then don't just stand there, you do not want to hear my stomach threatening to eat me alive do you? How are we going to have a re-match that way, not so much fun with out your favorite punching bag. Hup to it!" The American turned away and skipped three steps before whipping back around his long waist length auburn braid coiling about his body, "Wu-man.."

Wufei's brow twitched as the American started skipping away all the while laughing. "Duo..." Wufei managed to growl under his breath, "Every day I thank all the higher powers he has yet to procreate." Quatre Winner giggled in to his fist as he followed the stamping begrudged Wufei down the hall. _Some things never change, and for that I am glad..._

* * *

Ayame could supress the smile she had on her face as she walked in to the dojo holding the encased present that derek had passed along. Izumi knew better then to ask as she walked towards the privat stairs leading in to her apartment above the dojo. Though it crossed her mind that she had left the dojo unattended for long enough. "Kana. Would you take this up with you?" She asked as the girl went to pass her. Her light brown hair pulled back in to a pony tale. "Sure, where do you want me to put it?"

"On the table, don't open the package." Ayame instructed before walking back towards Izumi's desk. "Everything go well with Derek?" the girl asked annoyance evident in her voice. "Yes, what happened?" Izumi glared at her, "If you ever leave me here with out warning again, I will kick your ass." She held up a stack of messages, motioned to a package and then turned and glared at Takashi. "Again, I ask, what happened?"

Izumi sighed as she gathered her frustrations inward, "The better question is what didn't happen. As you guessed some of the students went home yesterday, told their parents about saki, and they are calling in an outrage that one of _your_ students, was able to not only get a hold of the weapon to end her life, but do so in public with her school uniform on. They all want to pull their children because of negligence on your part, and a lack of security in the city. Never mind that and rude postal workers, Takashi's antics and those girls of yours going ten rounds with one another just as we had an orientation. We had two potential students pee themselves, because they where afraid that they would have to fight them. Needless to say today was not a good day for you to disappear."

Ayame chuckled, "Is there ever a good day for me to disappear?" she walked around the desk scooped up the parcel and gave Izumi one last look, "I'll handle the messages, if you send those two girls to me." Izumi sighed, "Deal, but I get double break." At Ayame's nod the girl stood up, and headed towards where she knew both girls would be.

Ayame deposited the package along with others she had yet to open, and sat down at her desk.

* * *

The next morning was quiet, with no classes scheduled for the morning, and the day care being handled by Takashi and Izumi in the other side of the dojo Ayame had time to finally be able to get some of her own kata practice in before she was once again swamped by office work that needed to be done. She hadn't expected to be interupted by Heero Yuy paying the dojo another visit. She had recived his paper work already and was planning on sending the approval with date confirmation after her practice.

"Mr. Yuy, you return. " She greeted making him turn towards the mats. Heero stood silent suddenly uncharacteristically unsure as to what to speak to her about when she suddenly walked along the mats and lifted a shinai from the wall rack and tossed it at him. When he caught it he sent her questioningly look, she responded with. "I assume you know how to use one."

Blinking at the comment heero nodded, "Well are you going to except my challenge or just stand there?" Her change in attitude made him stall for a split second before he removed his shoes and socks. "I'll except, but I'll confess that I am unsure why you wish to challenge me."

"Lets call it a whim." They both stood facing each other, Ayame bowed to him and awaited his in return. When his bow was completed, they both took Six steps towards each other. Slowly, almost painstakingly so Ayame started to lower in to a squatted position, lifting her shinai. Heero followed suit, only to notice that she stood differently then he did. The stance was called _The Gedan no Kamae; _Her shinai was lower then his, with her left foot back with her heel about two and a half inches off the floor. Her hips where level and shoulders drawn back, he could see that unlike his own her arms where relaxed.

He only recognized the stance because Wufei had used it only once, while sparring with him in a Dojo in Europe. Wufei hadn't bothered to teach Heero how to stand in what he viewed as a uncomfortable position, yet he knew enough by pure observational skills that the way she held the position was that of perfection. They rose slightly, and he knew the match was on. She lashed out instantaneously, bringing her shinai up at a steep angle attempting to score a Tsuki- or throat point. He barely held a chance to step out of the way when she was twisting the shinai bringing it down landing a point.

"Men." She said in a flat voice as the shinai connected with the top of his head. It didn't hurt when it connected, in fact the control she held over the power she exerted was astounding. He wondered if Wufei had ever seen such control when practicing Kendo. Heero jumped forward and swung aiming not at the all important Head or throat shots but her wrist, hoping to at least throw her off balance. She turned slightly once again and slammed her shinai in to his waist all the while calling the point "Do."

Heero remembered as he was stumbling that this match-up was almost the same as when he had sparred against Wufei, and after their match Wufei had told him: _You are far too calculating, it shows on your face how much thought you are putting to your moves- this makes you readable. Remember the war and how little time you had to think while in your cock pit. Reactions are the key, someone gets a point- counter it __with two points of your own. Thinking about it will be what gives them the match._

As he stepped in to his stumbling he turned bringing his own shinai around smacking Ayame's waist. "Do." He then twisted his shinai around landing another point, uttering "Men." Ayame blinked at him for the spiltest of seconds then went on the counter-attack, bringing her shinai about to get the final and fatal point _Tsuki. _He side stepped and swung, both shinai met their marks, "Tsuki." Ayame said while looking at Heero's shinai as he to Uttered "Tsuki."

That was how Izumi found her, standing with a shinai pressed to her throat, the final attack from both parties placed in a draw. The look on Ayame's face was one that Izumi had never seen before, and it brought a slight shiver down her spine, she seemed genuinely excited about the match despite the fact that she was indeed _dead._ She waited before the shinai where removed to speak.

"Sensei, You have a call from Nayoshi-Sensei regarding the tournament at the end of the month." She informed waiting for Ayame to turn to her, "Alright Izumi, I'll be right there." Ayame's eyes never left Heero's, she was gauging him. Something had changed partway through their match-up and when it did, it was drastic. She knew the man was dangerous, but now she knew exactly to what extent.

She couldn't understand the excitement she had felt when he had tied in landing the fatal _Tsuki_ point in the final moments, but it still lingered despite her attempts to shove it aside. She knew that this man was going to be bringing himself around her dojo more often then either of them had planned on.

When she finally removed her gaze from him she said simply. "I am officailly informing you that you have approval to rent the dojo, and your date has been confirmed. I look forward to your business Mr. Yuy. " She said as a forum of dismissal as she took her shinai with her as she left the room to answer the phone call, Not allowing him time to answer.

Heero stood holding the wooden bamboo sword, and looked up at the ceiling, knowing that he was doomed to return to the dojo again if for nothing else but to get answers to the strange feelings within him stirred by a single look. Placing the shinai on one of the empty slots on the wall rack, he took his leave of the dojo the scents of Sakura blossoms filling his noes, and relaxing his mind.

He pulled out his phone with the intention of informing the others of the gathering time and place, when out of the corner of his eye he watched as a woman with bright red hair jumped off the surrounding wall in to what was a small alley-way between the dojo grounds and a small market shop.

* * *

"Yes, I understand Rokuro. Yes I already have ten chosen, but I am still waiting on parent confirmation before I can proceed to list them for the tournament." Ayame Paused as she shifted the receiver of her phone from her right ear to the left, turning her chair to look out her office window. "Your concern is appreciated but I assure you it is not needed. It is because of Saki that I am positive that my students will be ready to bring their all. Don't worry you will have a fair shot at beating Ishi na at the tournaments this year." Ayame chuckled darkly, "That is if you can manage to muster up some competition for Kana and Satomi."

Ayame smirked before turning back around in her seat, "I will, now I have work to get done so I have to get off the phone and get to it. I'll see you at the competition." With that Ayame hung up the phone and glanced vehemently at the stack of delivered packages and mail on a corner table beside her desk. Resolve clear in her expression she reach over and grabbed the first package.

It was a brown wrapped box with a scrawled address for the dojo on the top surface. There was no return address and a stamp that appeared to be from the postal services. With a quick motion Ayame ripped the brown paper wrapping in half and exposed the white cardboard. Opening the box she pulled out white foam wrap and spied a rose encased in glass. It appeared to be floating within the case.

It was weighty but Ayame wasn't surprised considering the glass itself was solid. She pulled it out and looked it over, a little put-off by the parcel. She hadn't ordered anything of the like, and she didn't have any kind of admirers as far as she was aware. Placing the rose on her desk she looked in the box and found a piece of paper with hand writing on it.

_Oh little dragon can't you _s_ee__,_

_there is nothing you can do; _

_that will be rid of me..._

_Your beauty is like a rose..._

_eternal, and covered in red; _

_Blood spurrs you forward,_

_further in to your dred._

_Like the rose,_

_ in glass you see_

_Your thorns are lost __for all eternity._

_I have found your thorns,_

_so sharp and true._

_They are mine, _

_but I shall return them to you._

_Lets play a game,_

_like the spider and the fly._

_Find the thorns, __Before they die._

Ayame dropped the box and looked at the paper in her hands near shock encasing her every feature. The poem was a threat, and the issuance of a game. She didn't need to read further to understand this. The fact that they deliberately called her little dragon was not lost on her, and she knew that she could not go to Preventer with the issue that had just arisen. She didn't know anyone alive that knew about the past she held. With two exceptions, and she could and had trusted them both with her life. In order to get any clues as to who knew the secret and who was deciding it was wise to toy with a dragon, she had to continue reading. Despite the fear that was growing within her being.

_One has fallen, _

_like the sun_

_on that day justice was done._

_I know you wept,_

_despite you attempts;_

_just like she- the baby dragon of destiny._

_You have lost one thorn _

_as the clocked ticked by _

_Waist no more time_

_oh ye dragon_

_I shall watch you fly._

_With these last words I bid you part._

_Merrily with all my heart..._

_Entrapment will only stall thy from truest path. _

_For a Dragon's heart will out last; _

_Once the skies it's sees again_

_this will be the beginning of the end._

Ayame stood from her seat, and walked out of the office she had been planing on spending the better part of the day in. The walls of the dojo where ignored as she traced her way to a set of stairs hidden within a closet, and up them in to a room in her apartment above. Her secondary office. Her stomach dropped at seeing a wall with supports standing empty save for one black metal gun.

__

_

* * *

_

Forensics hadn't gotten him anything more then he had already known. It pissed Wufei off to no end, but he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of expressing his anger. It would only serve to bring him more frustration, and he could hardly blame the guys in forensics for not being able to produce the answers he had wanted. Especially so when the answers could only come from ghosts in his personal past.

The dreams of his past where continuing to haunt him, and the irony that they had started the night before the entire fiasco wasn't lost on him. It in fact only served to increase his need for answers. He knew his frustration was beginning to show to Karin, for she had asked him repeatedly the day before if he was alright. Wufei did not enjoy others looking at him in worry.

Duo and Kekko had come up dry on their quest for any answers to explain the suicide of Saki Taylor, and the case was on the brink of closing. The only reason that it was still open was the fact that the lab boys had informed head office that the _mysterious_ gun held traced of Gundanium alloy in it's make up. Wufei needed to figure out the recent history on the gun, because he already know the origin. He didn't like lying to Duo, but it needed to be done to allow him to keep some measure of his life privet until such times as it needed to be opened like a book for the world to read.

He stood in front of his bathroom mirror, awakened yet again by another haunting dream. He could still hear Meilan's words echoing in his mind. _'May ye fly above the clouds and observe the lands below,May justice smite the wrongs done to us all.' _The only difference that his dream held, was that Meilan's voice was being echoed by the voice of Saki Taylor.

Shaving cream lined his jaw, as he held the razor in his hand. He hadn't herd those words since his life became entangled in the evils and injustices of War, Famine and corruption of the mortal mind, body and soul. Before he became the pilot of the Dragon, and the hand of Justice. A life time ago he had herd those words and now as he remembered it he could only see the young face of his long dead wife in the mirror. His hand clenched around the razor handle.

He couldn't help but feel like there was something more to this then simply his past being tangled in to the case. What ever that something was it was simmering, waiting to combust in to flames. Flames where Preventer worst kind of emergency. The simple fact that a girl who shouldn't be old enough to have even herd those words uttered in her life time disturbed him, but also told him there was a third party player in the whole issue. _Ayame Taylor...?_ The thought had come to him, but he couldn't find any evidence in their interview two days prior to tie her in to the matter.

His gut told him other wise, but he wouldn't get answers by simply using his gut. He had a time line before the whole case was thrown to another section of Preventer, The initial case file was closed and ruled simply a suicide, pending the out come of his investigation. Should he not make his deadline then the case of the gun would meet the fate of the cold case files in some storage lock up. That prospect should comfort him but it only served to disturb him more then he already was.

Beside him his cellphone rang, the vibrations making it shudder towards the edge of the sink, threatening to dump in it to the soap filled water. He put his razor down and lifted his phone, and answering it in one fell swoop. "Chang." He didn't have to wait more then four seconds before he was snapping "What did you just say!"

* * *

_Authors Notes: YAY chapter three is at an end, I hope you enjoyed it, and that it didn't feel rushed. I am not sure, though I feel it was paced nicely. Maybe you all could REVIEW xD _

_See you all next time in:_

_**Chapter four: The Illusion of the Something. **_


	4. Chapter 4 The Illusion of Something

**Authors Note: _I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I have been working on another muse of mine;( This aside, I am sad that no one has really reviewed for this story, ah well. I am posting anyway; on to this chapters' notes. I'll admit that this chapter kinda threw me for a loop, still does. It was not an easy chapter to write. Simply put, I was having the most trouble by keeping with the story and not giving away too much too quickly. I hope I did a good job, but I won't know unless you all tell me. So Please READ and REVIEW. Thanks ;3_**

_~Introduction~_

Wufei stood in the middle of evidence lock up, his eyes not believing what they saw. Both Preventer personal who where on the graveyard shift where strung up on the caged fence that surrounded access to the storage facility holding every piece of Preventer _Tokyo_ evidence. Their blood was dried and pooled at their feet. Some sticking to the metal fencing.

It made him sick to his stomach to look at the sight, "Who found them?" He asked the woman standing beside him, his boss in all manner of fact, but also a person who he considered a comrade and a friend. "Their relief found them twenty-eight minutes ago. It's been a circus ever sense. Before you ask, there is no video footage for this entire floor- the system was being repaired last night."

He looked at the woman proper. "Convenient, Yeah I know." Despite the calm in her voice, he could see in her brown eyes a look of horror and anguish that such a thing occurred on her watch. Anna Une ran a tight ship, and as current Commanding Officer of the Preventer Head quarters; Tokyo branch, this kind of foul up was unacceptable.

Minus her two inch heels that she wore to the office every day she was slightly taller then himself maybe an inch taller. Her long normally straight brown hair was pulled back messily in to a hurriedly brushed pony-tale. That and the fact that she was missing her trade mark heels told him she had still been sleeping when the call had come through to her.

She was pale, paler then normal, but Wufei had to give the woman credit she knew how to keep up appearances while in front of her _troops_. "Why weren't the captain's informed of this or more guards assigned to the sensitive areas of this building?" He was blunt, and cold, but this was how she expected him to be and he would not, could not disappoint her. Not in this instance. "Gillson was in-charge of assigning personnel." She sent him a side long glance, "and don't worry he is going to be dealt with severely."

"What is missing?"

Anna sighed, "So far nothing stands out a few pounds of drugs, and some hand guns, although they where all nondescript with their serials erased. What does make me worry however is that it appears that your latest murder investigation files have been tampered with, and the list of articles is missing from the ledger. Further more all images of the weapon and its manifest have been wiped from the system."

Wufei felt his stomach plummet. "The gun is missing?" He watched as Preventer's shifted boxes around, and forensics did their job. Anna's silence told him that it was indeed missing, and so continued. "Do you think they were after that weapon?" He inquired and Anna didn't respond straight away. "The fact of that guns unique nature hasn't been published in any of the on board records, tells me that the gun wasn't taken because of it's make up. So I cannot say indefinitely that the gun was specifically targeted, but if you want my personal opinion, then yes that gun was the mark." Anna motioned for him to follow her. She led him to the elevator and waited until they were aboard alone to talk again. "Do I need to tell you what your mission is?"

She didn't, but Wufei knew she would, so he didn't answer. "Your mission is to find out everything you can about that gun, who would have an interest in it and why. I want every little detail of that weapon from it's maker to the last person to come in contact with it. Saki Taylor's case file is now closed, and a new one is opened. Use any resource necessary to find out who broke in to our house. I want them arrested and I want that gun back in lock up!" The emotions she had been hiding within view of those working in the evidence locker spilled out at Wufei. He had expected as much, after all women can't contain their emotions, it's embedded in their DNA.

_Chapter Four: The Illusion of Something_

_At the dojo, Ayame stood rooted in place looking at the wall where five weapons had once sat. Her mind raced on what it could mean. Only one person knew she had those weapons, and she wouldn't have stolen them because she knew what they meant. Granted that person didn't know about all the weapons, only two. _

_She had to try and figure out who was behind the theft without Preventer's help, she couldn't afford to be a suspect in Saki's death. She couldn't bear the thought of losing the two girls living with her. They were her life. Without them, she was nothing more then the black gun that remained. Death._

_She held a crisp clear image of the person who could have done such a thing but she also knew that person to be long dead. The image of a person maddened with both jealousy and murderous rage, enough so to threaten the very fabric of life as human-kind had known it. A woman who had in essence attempted to not only destroy the colonies only chance of survival and unification but also betrayed her own people. Sisters of one bounding ideal and principal. _

_Securing Human-kind's natural right to life, freedom, justice, judgment, and finally death earned by age. That was the founding principal that spurred the creation of their sister hood. The Ideals where that of unification and peace. A peace time where people learned the meaning of love and life beyond any measure of doubt. The ability to understand that fighting while sometimes necessary where not the only means of ending conflict. _

_The Ideals of the Sanc Kingdom were that of total pacifism, though valiant in their attempts- they were also fool hearty. In this Ayame's sister hood where originally charged with not only the revenge of the colonies oppression, but also the proof that when tyrants rear their ugly heads people had to rally together in order to strengthen their beliefs and secure their rights and freedoms given at birth. _

_This was the cause of her sister hood, five stood as symbols and potentially martyrs, while one carried on the title that was Wind. The last assassin of a family comprising of many many generations long before the colonization of space and the conception of the destructive atom bomb. The Winds blew strong during one's attempt at racial purification and lasted through the ages to present date. Yet the final successor was also the destroyer of all they had tried to build. _

_Ayame's mind raced in circles trying to figure out why she couldn't get the image of her long dead sister out of her mind, a ghost that never seemed to truly die within her, despite the fact that she her self had been the one to place her at deaths door more then ten years in the past. _

_Her gut plummeted at the very idea that the woman wasn't dead, and that she had been walking among the world and colonies plotting and planning to re-take what she believed was rightfully hers. The very idea rocked her to the very core. 'She couldn't be alive, I watched her burn- I committed the final blow to her spinal column, and left her to burn. She is dead.' she internally argued as she heard Satomi and Kana walking about the apartment, and the phone ringing. Kana racing to answer it, beating Satomi, barely, as usual. Ayame couldn't imagine the idea of that image being shattered by a past she had already come to terms with, and should have been buried along with the flames of war. _

_Ayame knew that without a doubt, if the woman she feared suddenly was alive, that would be exactly what would happen. Every one she had ever come in to contact with since that day in the country side, would be in danger worse then a death threat. The fiend would stop at nothing to utterly destroy not only her but those she loved through some of the worst tortures that one human mind could ever think to conceive. _

_For the first time in more then twenty years Ayame Taylor suddenly felt terror screaming to the surface just like the day Rina had adopted her... _

_'Blood spurs you forward,further in to your dread...' The words echoed in her mind like the finality of the executioners ax. 'Further in to your dread... your dread... your dread... your dead.' The face of her sister was suddenly before her and all she could focus on was the fire of hatred burning in the depths of her sharp emerald green eyes, as fire of the literal kind burned around them. _

_The face jumped forward at her, and suddenly everything was dark around her._

_

* * *

_

She was laying flat, panic still riding the wind. She bolted up right, finding herself at a disadvantage, and looking about her for an enemy. Her hand already closing around a weapon that she kept under her pillow just in case.

Slowly, very slowly her disorientation fell away. Ayame looked around her, and found that she was in her bed room, the sheets pooled about her waist. Silently she crept from her room, avoiding the loose floor boards. The short combat knife still clutched in her hand as she looked about the silent apartments.

First she opened Kana's bedroom door, only enough to peer in and see the lump of a girl sleeping, watch her roll over in her blankets a soft sigh escaping her lips. Further down the hall past the small three piece bathroom, was the room that housed Satomi at night. The door was already open a crack, and Ayame could see clearly that she too was sleeping soundly.

Ensured that the girls where safe even though she was still confused how she had gotten in to her bedroom, never mind in to her pajamas. She moved swiftly, as her last memory came to her mind. "_The weapons..._" Her inward reminder had her spurring around a corner in to her private in home office, and whipping around to look at the wall case that housed four gleaming weapons of different colours. All of them long-slides. Her hand shakily reached out and ran feather light against the black metal of one of the guns.

A shiver worked down her spine and took four steps backwards. She leaned back against her solid oak desk starring at the weapons in the cabinet. Ayame couldn't believe her eyes. Each and every one of them remained in place. As she stood there she began to remember the days events.

After she had opened the package, she was so shocked that she found herself distracted and dazed for the majority of the day. Satomi had even asked her if everything was alright when they had dinner that evening. Ayame had ordered out, something she very rarely did. To prove to the girls everything was fine with her, she had taken both of them down to the dojo and sparred with them. It had been an enjoyable reprieve from the letter, but before bed she had found herself looking over the package once again.

"It would appear I am much more sentimental now then I was..." She sighed as she shook her head and walked out of the office, in to the kitchen, knowing she wouldn't get anymore sleep.

* * *

" _Today, the weather has proven to be bright and sunny with only a 5% chance of cloud cover leading us in to the afternoon hours, so we would like to remind you that if you are spending extended time outside today to wear a hat. It may not be hot but the sun is still quite strong on days like today._

" _In other news, Preventer issued a statement earlier this morning about the apparent lock down five days ago. Sadly they didn't have any uplifting news for us here at T-USEN. Yet another has been added to the ranking percentage of teen suicides. In the last four years the Global tally for suicides has risen to 17.9 percent from the 13.2 percent recorded in A.C. 203. This is a generally disturbing fact and with us we have a specialist ,Ronald Harry Willins Jr. from Tokyo's Institute for Suicide prevention and reco-"_ The screen of a small television anchored to the wall flicked to black as Duo's soft soled boots thumped impatiently to the tile floor of CR division head quarters.

"Oh yeah, lets make a story to tell everyone how to recognize the signs of impending suicide, still doesn't make people give a crap long enough to do anything about it." He grumbled as he stood up his chair squeaking on the floor in protest to being treated so roughly. Duo was clad in his usual black cargo pants and CR department jacket over a plain Grey t-shirt. "I wish the news would learn to play something up lifting instead of either trying to incite a panic in to the population or send us all in to a depression. Seriously, some of us already have majorly depressing jobs, do we really need to hear a national replay every morning on how fucked up this world is after war?" He muttered sloshing the murky coffee around a coffee pot before deciding wisely against ever attempting to digest the muck.

"I honestly think it's ingrained in human genetics, I mean the world sucked before war, during war, why shouldn't it suck after it too? Do you honestly believe the vultures have decided to change their tune because the dance has changed?" Kekko let out a none feminine snort as she typed up a report. "Besides, if you hate the news so much, why do you bother to watch it? It only serves to encourage them."

"Because there is always an off chance their babbling could lead to us getting a report faster then the switch board. They do tend to circle the shit after all." Duo sighed, pronouncing his sentence with the still swirling coffee in the pot. "When are we going to get a decent cup of coffee in this joint anyway?"

"Just as soon as you can draft up the papers as to why getting a decent coffee maker takes president over stalking up on mace for the unit." Kekko dead-panned. "Oh, when you do, let me know, because I totally want to be there when you plan on handing it in . It never gets old to watch your ass get chewed out." Duo struck a pose, "You just like watching my ass!" He just managed to dodge the stress ball she tossed at him, as a phone rung. "Preventer Children Relation Division Yurigami speaking." Kekko answered in her most professional tone.

"Yes, he's here. Okay just a moment." Kekko held out her receiver and half shrugged at Duo's questioning look. She shifted out of the way to let Duo answer the telephone call. She looked at the wall clock, and sighed, wondering mildly if she had done her home visit for Satomi and Kana that month. It would give her an excuse to go and see Ayame.

* * *

Wufei had spent a good two hours sitting in Anna's office going over his plan for the mission she had given him. Due to the fact that the weapon in his evidence lock up was special in a not so good way, the case had to be handled with care. His superiors believed that the potential for mobile suit involvement had risen to the degree for extreme caution.

So he now stood in the sub-levels of Preventer once again in the evidence lock up, as he looked down the hall way, he noted ironically that the weapons storage was just down the hall behind a door that was not very stable looking. "Hinamora, has the snoops been in the weapons store?" At his question a dark haired native to japan rose his head from the stack of papers he had been rifling through. "Yes, they're still in there. C.O. Une ordered that every inch of the sub-levels be searched and secured. I expect it will be days before they are done down here, maybe another week. I hope you didn't have any plans."

Wufei didn't give him an answer, but continued his walk through his feet cautiously moving him through the room, keen eyes inspecting every inch of the room from every new vantage. He was a firm believer that a second walk through was always better done by fresh eyes.

Slowly as he took a step he knelt down looking under the metal shelves where a shining reflection caught his eye, and a scent rose above the smell of coppery blood. He inched closer and noticed a small sliver tray tucked way at the back of the shelf. "Hinamora, hand me my kit." Wufei held out his hand behind him, and near instantaneously he felt the weight of his small investigation and evidence collection kit resting there.

"Did you find something?" Hinamora tried to see past Wufei's bulk, but couldn't manage. "Perhaps. Your in my light." Wufei watched the mans shadow retreat. After putting on gloves Wufei slowly worked the small container forward, and noted quite quickly that the small glimmer that had caught his eye was tinfoil wrapped around a water bottle cap. He froze in mid motion.

All the uses such a small object could hold ran through his mind, and he glanced at the anxiously waiting man behind him. "Suspicious object code black." He said firmly, before looking back to where he was laying. The cap was less then an inch across, but he knew that was more then enough room to plant an explosive meant to cause damage and death.

The new officer took off on the fly, heading for the weapons storage. Wufei didn't dare move his left hand that was currently attached to the small object. He took a slow shuddered breath and let it out in an attempt to calm his rapidly beating heart. It didn't take long for the guys in the other room, to make their way back in to the evidence lock up. "What did you find Chang?" an older graying male questioned sternly his gray-blue eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"It appears to be a water bottle cap lined in tinfoil. It contains substances unknown. Smells like roses or rose powder of some kind. All other information is unknown." He reported with out hesitance. "Alright, just don't move." The suspicion left the mans eyes as he turned to look at his subordinates. "Get the black gear." A man ran off down the hall, while the elder remained. "Chou, why didn't your guys find this?" Wufei asked suspicions running thick in his tone.

"There was no reason to suspect explosives, though I will say there is no excuse for something that suspicious to be laying about, and there will be repercussions." At the man's answer Wufei turned his head. "Interesting, that's the second time today I have herd that answer."

He looked up at the man who appeared from his angle to be a giant, though in truth he only stood six feet off the ground, his dark almond shaped eyes held lines caused by scowling and deep sages underneath from far too many sleepless nights. His short cropped hair was salt and pepper with only a minimal hint of the original black that it had once been. Despite his apparent age, the man was built like an athlete, lean but heavily muscled. By the way he stood and experience both told Wufei that them man knew how to handle himself.

"Indeed, It would seem it's time to cull out the ranks again, and promotions are coming around once more." Chou sighed, "Hard to believe that it only takes a few years for people to relax against threats that still haunt the darkest reaches of human-kind." Wufei couldn't help but agree, and the irony wasn't lost on him that _he _was the one who just reached under a shelf to inspect a _suspicious object _without a second thought.

'_I think I am getting old..._' He inwardly sighed glancing back at the cap currently pinched between his thumb and fore finger.

* * *

While her employer was in the sub-levels Karin sat at her desk, as her fax machine rang, She turned to it and watched as a slip of paper was printed out. She noted that the coding on the top was an order to close a case. Which told her that the case Wufei Chang had been working on was either dried up, or bumped off for a more important case.

She waited until the page finished printing, and pulled it out of the tray, her eye's scanned the page and a sly smirk spread on her lips. "Well now, that is interesting." She slid the file in to the appropriate folder, and pulled out her cell phone from her purse. Opening it she pressed three on her key pad, and waited until it dialed.

Someone answered on the first ring. "Hi Yuki-chan. Yes, I have some information that you and your reporter friends at T-USEN News may find interesting while pertaining to the story on the suicide at Preventer HQ. You'll never guess who the foster mother was to the young college student was before she died."

Karin smirked as the receptionist hurriedly spoke in her ear. "Yes, that's right a very reliable source, but your most diffidently entitled to do your research and take credit for the information." she watched the elevators where she knew where the only entrance to the floor, minus the emergency stairs. "Her name is Ayame Taylor, sensei at Ishi Na Dojo, currently tied in first ranked position in all of japan. The girls name was Saki Taylor. Yes that's right. Yes, now remember I expect the check to be negotiable at any unregistered source. Good, good. Yes dear. Okay bu-bye."

* * *

Heero couldn't believe the sight before his eyes. As he sat in the drivers seat of Trowa's rent-a-car, he watched a news van filled with their little troops converged on Ishi na Dojo. "Holy cow, what the heck do you think all this is about?" Catherine asked as she peered around Trowa's larger forum to look out the windshield. "Not sure, but Cathy please sit back."

"I should be the one telling you that Trowa, after all _your _the one who's got the dirty little secret." The brunette smirked slightly, "Perhaps but you are connected to that secret, and I doubt highly that the circus wants that kind of publicity again." The simple sentence had Catherine sitting back with a humph. "Party pooper."

Heero reached in to his cup holder and pulled out his small black cell phone. Flipping it open he hit 2 and watched the phone speed dial Duo's Cell number. "Why are you calling Duo?" Catherine asked spying on Heero who simply sent her a glance saying more then Trowa ever had to. The woman sat back hands raised in the _I surrender_ sign. "Sorry I asked." She muttered under her breath.

"_Yo, what's up buddy?" _Duo's voice echoed through the ear piece of the phone. "Turn on the news." He ordered simply, and the sound of Duo's hacking coughs was all that he herd. "Why would I want to do that?" The Preventer finally questioned as he shuffled across his office and flicked on the television as he was told. "Are they playing anything on the dojo?" Heero asked calmly.

_"Not as far as I can tell, why should they be?"_ Duo's impatient nature showing through, "Though there is a van parked outside of the dojo." Duo let out a long winded sigh, _"Yeah okay I'll alert the cavalry. Say, how do you know that?"_ Duo murmured as he started text-messaging someone.

"I am sitting outside." The tapping stopped for all of thirty seconds as the information digested in his mind, "Cathy and Trowa are with you I assume." At Heero's grunted response, if one could call it that duo chuckled, "_You don't have to sound all defensive, I've known you too long not to notice some kind of habits on your part man."_

"I don't have habits." Heero defended, a little too quickly for his own good, but Duo left it be. _"Anyway, I have work to do before Kekko gets back here and chews me out for not finishing it because you distracted me."_ Heero hung up the phone with out further comment from Duo- which he knew there would have been.

"So I take it we're not going in?" Catherine asked in a rather put-out sounding voice. "No, We cannot risk the exposure." Heero answered dropping his phone back in the cup holder while sliding the car back in to first gear. "We'll return when it's safe to do so."

"Damn it, and I wanted to take that woman's measure." Heero and Trowa turned and looked over their shoulders at Catherine, who smirked smugly, "What, How can I trust that my brothers will be safe if I can even take her measure? If you think I am just going to be waltzing off planet leaving Trowa and You here on your own- your more insane then I gave you credit for." She crossed her arms over her chest. "now since we aren't going inside, can you at very least stop for a coffee?"

Neither man said a word as they glanced at one another then turned to look out the windshield, which was just as well, because that was how Catherine knew them, Tall, dark, protective and silent. Her baby brothers all grown up. It sometimes made her want to cry- other times just pissed the hell out of her.

* * *

"Chang, I need you to remain perfectly still, I'm going to be putting in the snake." A young nameless man spoke to him calmly, as he lay close behind Wufei. Normally he hated close personal contact, but on this occasion he was more then willing to allow it.

"I know the procedure." He grunted, his eyes narrowing on the small black camera as it was slid slowly in to the space under the shelf. "Left, an inch." He reported and the man grunted, "I see it. Just hold up and Ah, There we go. Simmons what do you see on the screen."

"It looks like a pile of rose thorns."

Silence, no body made a sound as the man blinked at the screen, "Rose thorns?" Wufei uttered in disbelief. "Yeah, Rose thorns, it looks clean." A resounding sigh escaped everyone in the bomb unit as the camera was slowly pulled out of the shelf and the tech rolled away from Wufei. "Go on pull it out." He called as he push up on his knees.

Wufei slowly slid the object out from under the shelf, just as it came to the edge he felt a sharp tug and herd what sounded like trip line snapping and swinging around the room. "What the hell!" Wufei clutched the canister in his fist, destroying the small tin containor and keeping low tried to listen to where the sound ended.

In the maze that was the storage lock up he couldn't be sure if it was near the ceiling or on the floor, left or right. "Every one out!" Chao barked as men scrambled for the exit. It was then Wufei herd the beeping, it was distant, yet still close by. His head whipped around to see a flashing red light marking the death of anyone near it. "Drop!" He yelled above the chaos and covered his head.

The explosion hit with more force then he remembered a bomb could pack, sending the world in and everyone in it, in to a ringing white void.

* * *

Kekko and Duo pulled in to the back parking spot of Ishi na dojo, All eyes riveted to the front gate that had been closed and bolted. Kekko thanked all that was holy for the simple fact that the reporters had given up for the day, and left them be. She was the last person in the world, next to the owner of said dojo, who wanted to speak to a reporter.

"Looks like Takashi and Izumi managed to close the gate with out many problems." Duo chuckled, noting with some humor that a camera had been abandoned in the middle of the walk way that wouldn't be used for some time to come. "Apparently, but we may just as well see at six tonight." Kekko pulled off her safety belt and climbed from the car.

Duo followed suit only to hear the back door open and watch Takashi tug out a cigarette case and pull out a thin brown filtered death stick. "You really shouldn't be doing that." Duo piped up, and the man gave him the finger. "Shove it Maxwell, I have had enough of people's banter in my ear."

Duo shrugged, "Hey am I the one who has been calling the dojo off the hook?" He moved past the obviously upset sensei, "Though Who am I to tell you what to do with your perfectly good lungs right?" He added as Kekko opened and walked through the back door giving him no choice but to follow.

"Izumi, I told you we will be alright." Ayame's patient voice echoed to them, and Kekko couldn't help but find humor in the fact that Ayame was calm all the while out side her little world was chaos, or rather soon to be chaos. What ever had sent the original reporters to the dojo wouldn't just stay secret to one channel for very long. Especially so if Kekko's gut was right about the reason.

"Izumi, please, once Sensei makes up her mind she don't change it for no one. Trust me I've tried. Tons." Satomi's voice sounded distracted, and Kekko soon found out why as she and Duo walked around the corner finding Ayame, Satomi and Kana sitting cross-legged in the middle of the regular class mats in a small triangle, in the center of which stood Izumi, amongst a pile of Tournament Arrows. "Satomi. Doesn't not don't, Anyone not no one, and A lot, not tons. Your not an urchin so don't talk like one." Ayame uttered without looking up from the arrow she was binding Blue and Gold string to.

"Yes, sensei." Satomi sighed as she haphazardly tossed her arrow in to the pile beside Kana, who glared at her but otherwise said nothing. "But Sensei, Please re-consider, It's only for a few days! You know how they get, right now it's civil, but soon they will be trying to scale your walls!" Ayame's calm eyes looked up at Izumi. "I will not be chased out of my home and my life because some prattling Reporters believe it's in their rights to report news. Izumi do not believe me incapable of dealing with them. I was after all the one who introduced you to the art."

"But we don't even know what they wanted! What if they got your name from Saki's public record!" Ayame's impartial gaze narrowed on the woman, forcing her back a step. The crunching of the arrow under foot earned a low growl from Kana.

Duo chuckled from behind Kekko drawing everyone's attention within the exception of Ayame who simply looked back down that the task in her hands. "Ah good, voices of reason!" Izumi walked carefully out of the small pow-wow to where Kekko stood arms crossed over her chest a smirk on her features. "Maybe you guys can have better luck with her." With that, Izumi stormed out of the room completely headed for the back door.

"So, how was your day?" Duo asked as he walked around Kekko placing his _I know but I am pestering you for a rise_ smile on his face. "Fine, how was your drive?" Ayame answered flatly, with out looking up, "Alright, though I was driving so Kekko's answer is probably different, you know how it goes."

"Of course." Ayame looked up at Duo before glancing at Satomi and Kana, "Girls why don't you go with Duo upstairs and make something for lunch?" Kana opened her mouth to ask why, just as Duo and Satomi's stomachs growled impatiently. This had Kana giggling before she realized it, bringing her to forget her question.

"Lets go guys, I'm going to wither away!" Duo announced making a b-line towards the dojo/Apartments entrance leaving Kekko and Ayame alone in the center of the dojo training mats, divided by the arrows. "Do you know who leaked the information about Saki?" Ayame asked in all seriousness, the tone telling Kekko the woman was reaching the end of a very long nerve. A nerve she wasn't going to sever with the information that had come through her fax machine before they left.

"No and Chang wasn't answering, but we have our people on it." Kekko assured, "Preventers people or _your_ people?" Ayame looked up at her, her eyes swimming with a multitude of emotion that Kekko couldn't begin to name. "They are one in the same." She sighed, "But specifically C.R. Since this incident could put Satomi and Kana in danger, even if it is accidental or unintentional."

"Good." Ayame returned her gaze once again to the arrows, yet didn't move her hands to reach for a new one. "I received a package yesterday." She whispered, so silently that Kekko almost didn't catch her words. "What kind of package?"

"One of a topic that should never be spoken aloud." Her voice was even quieter that time and Kekko moved towards the woman slowly, "What do you mean?"

"_Oh little dragon can't you see, there is nothing you can do that will be rid of me..."_ Ayame quoted and Kekko reeled as if she had been punched in the face. "Ayame I need to see that package." At Kekko's words, Ayame's eyes snapped up, "Officially never."

"If there was a threat to you, that could prove harmful to the girls-" Ayame stood abruptly, rage filling her clear eyes, "No threat or action will ever reach those two girls." She hissed as if she had been burned. "I hate to say it Ayame, but you said the same of Saki-"

"That was of _her own_ doing!" Ayame snapped, her entire being shaking with a barely controlled rage and sorrow, a dangerous combination if Kekko ever found one. "Even though the gun was Justice?" She asked, watching the emotions slip away from Ayame's features like rain on a window pane.

"Did you think I was so foolish not to recognize one of the five?" Kekko asked stepping forward, placing her hands tentatively on Ayame's shoulders, "Please Ayame, don't insult me. I may not be one of the five originals, but I am a dragon whether or not you want to admit it. My sister named me so as is the rights of any who trained under the winds."

"Why haven't you said anything to Preventer?" Ayame asked flatly, and Kekko sighed. "Because I wasn't sure it held any connection to the dragons, maybe fates cruel irony, or maybe just a simple coincidence. I am not sure, all I know is that if that package makes any mentions or utterances that could pertain to that case I need to know."

"Because your a Dragon or a Preventer?" Ayame watched Kekko's eyes in the unnerving way that made the latter want to shrink back in to the shadows, "That doesn't matter, you say you trust me, now you need to prove it."

"Not with this." Ayame turned away from Kekko her eyes traveling upward to a warn sword that hung above the Training equipment, the withered leather hilt proving it's age. "Ayame Where did you get that?" Kekko asked slowly after following the woman's gaze.

"A friend."

In the silence that over took the two women, they could hear the laughter of Satomi and Kana from the apartments above while Duo undoubtedly entertained them with his own child like antics. Kekko watched a lone, silent tear leak from Ayame's left eye, before the woman stubbornly turned away, "Never with this." She said simply as if the matter was ended. Kekko wouldn't contend her, nor would she agree, at the moment, she knew that Ayame needed to think of other matters before the one staring them all in the face.

* * *

He couldn't see, and felt like the world was suddenly pressing down against his entire being. High pitched screaming over took his hearing and his eyes didn't seem to want to open. Wufei felt as if every nerve in his body were set a blaze, screaming in protest to one thing or another. Yet, under it all, or above he couldn't quite tell, an insistent droned buzzing picked at his left ear.

Slowly, he tried to open his eyes, finding everything dark, dismal, only lit by deep crimson lights. '_The emergency system, why was that activated?'_ He wondered trying to keep his sight from blurring, People, or what he could make out where people shifted about, some quickly- choppy like some horror movie ghost, while others where far to slow to be anything more then just stunned spectators.

_'What the hell happened?'_ He lifted his hand and pressed it to his forehead, it felt as if it weighed forty pounds. He noticed then that he couldn't see out of his left eye, and that startled him greatly. His hand slid down his face, reviling to him that it didn't peel off, and his hair had fallen out of his tightly strung pony-tale- for it tangled amongst his fingers.

He turned his head, shifting slightly, surprised that the movement didn't send him in to a screaming torment, it in fact did exactly the opposite. His vision sharpened, and he didn't feel so numb. He tried to test his foot, and found it jumping at his command, sending hot little pokers of numbness to scuttle up his leg and in to his back. At least he could feel it. Though why that was a good thing was lost to him, for some odd reason. He could feel his left hand was still clenched in a fist, and something was digging in to the callused palm.

Slowly he forced his hand to open, and the scent of roses and black powder assaulted his nose, bringing everything back in a flash. He bolted up from the shock, his eyes wide and wild searching for the damage and the dead. A strong, yet gentle hand pressed down against his shoulder drawing his anxious gaze upwards. "Chang, are you alright?" The man's voice was still a drone, but he could make out the words well enough to nod in response.

"Can you hear me properly?" At his shaking head the man must have chuckled by the way his chest moved in quick jerking motions. "Everything else still in one piece?" Wufei forced himself to do a part by part analysis of his body, feeling for any ache, sprains, breaks or lacerations. A practice he had acquired and honed during his time as a gundam pilot.

Trying, and mostly failing to keep his voice level under control he responded, "Nothing, major. A few bruises, a cut that may need a stitch, other wise. FINE." The man nodded sharply, "Can you stand?" Wufei hadn't thought of that, why the thought hadn't come to him was more then a bit perplexing. Slowly, almost like he was swimming through soup he managed to push himself to a kneeling position.

The hand on his shoulder disappeared, and was hovering before his face. Grateful for the assistance, he gripped the man's hand and pulled himself to his wobbly feet. "Ain't equal Librium a bitch?" the man laughed in his ear, as he pulled Wufei's arm over his shoulders and helped him pick his way through the rubble towards the exit, noting that the entire outer hall was swarming with Paramedics, and Captains alike. Despite his eyesight not being one-hundred-percent, he could still spot Anna Une standing in the center of the hall way, and feel her brown eyes boring in to his soul.

She was not a happy administrative personal, which meant he was going to be one busy Preventer- assuming his current condition was of the temporary kind.

* * *

_She watched from the cafe across the street, as Paramedics pulled up to the Preventer's building right on time. Her eyes flicked to her watch just to double check. 'She should be here soon.' She uttered under her breath, watching the street from the window. She didn't know when, or how she had gotten past her line of sight, but a woman sat down on the opposing side of the table. Her bright fire hair was swept back in a simple fashion, allowing the majority of the locks to tumble down her back. Bright Green eyes smiled at her amused. _

"_Do you like what you see dear sister?" She questioned, her voice rough and husky, almost like she at one point tried to eat fire, yet it also held an incredibly sexy tone to it that she would bet was put to great use. "It's of a mild interest. I am more interested in how you have been doing sister." _

"_I have been doing wonderfully, I even delivered a package yesterday. It's relaxing to finally be able to get back in to the saddle openly- well to an extent of course." She nodded, turning her head slightly towards the near empty cafe, "Would you like a coffee before we get too deep in our conversation?" _

"_Of course I would, after all I didn't come here for idle chatter, this is the _best_ coffee house in the city. Conveniently located where we can watch the days excitement." She couldn't help but agree with her guest, though of course, if she knew the woman, the excitement for her had only just begun._

* * *

Wufei sat in the office prepared for the None-critically injured, an EMS worker looked him over, paying extra attention to his ears. Even after an hour and a half of simply sitting and waiting, he still couldn't hear very well. It told him only one thing, _that he was getting soft_. Before, while he was still fighting the war, and even after the rebellion he was able to handle explosions twice the size, with little to no effect. Now, well, that was another matter entirely as proven by his remaining in the _Medical quarantine._

"Your going to have to take the rest of the day off. No driving, or operating any kind of machinery or weapons until you get a medical release forum. You can check in with the on-call medical staff here on site, or you can go to your own family doctor, but no sooner then tomorrow. Rest, drink lots of fluids, and don't strain your ears too much." The man in the white coat informed in and by the way the rest of the patients where reacting, he was yelling at Wufei.

He nodded swiftly, and pulled his change of uniform off the table. He waited for the minor disorientation to subside, before shuffling slowly to the mens bathroom, preparing to change. "CHANG." Anna's voice hollered at him from the mens room doorway. "Read the sign." He barked, not caring about tone or volume.

"See me before you leave." She returned, and he grunted, knowing full well that she would have simply left the doorway, hell bent on finishing some task. He sat on the bench in the center of the room, and tugged off his shirt, finding it made his sense of direction disappear entirely. With a short sigh, and keeping himself from looking at the dark bruising marring his flesh, he tugged on a new shirt, and proceeded to take off his boots, and undo his belt.

His mind was reeling with the ideas of what else could have happened? What if he had of just pulled the tin out from under the shelf? What if someone else had done the same. The timer on the bomb hadn't given them much time to move out of range, so the intent to maim or kill was in the explosive, yet the punch it delt was only enough to destroy the evidence they may have missed in the evidence lock up. It didn't penetrate the next room from what little information he had gathered. Nor had it caused more then one serious injury.

_Where they simply trying to cover their exploites through out the file?_ He wondered pulling a new pair of cargo's over his legs. _If that was the case, why did they leave the bodies on the fence? A scare tactic? Maybe that wasn't the extent of the bombs perpouse at all. What if it was ment to kill and leave just one more little side bar as to just how dangerous they are? Was that maybe their calling card?_ Wufei's mind remembered the tin, and the small Rose thorn that had still been nestled within as his hand clenched down around the tiny piece of evidence, the small clue as to who or what was going on around him. He held no doubt in his mind that it was connected to justice, to his _Nataku_ but he couldn't prove it.

His mind kept reeling in circles, and so he forced himself to stop, and simply concentrate on doing up his belt and pulling his jacket over sore stiff shoulders. Once the jacket was done up, He stood, and shuffled his way out of the bathroom. Anna stood beside a side table, once used for Civilian presence to stop and be able to have a flat surface to write on. It now served as a place of removing Preventers from active duty. He hated that table.

"Gun and badge Chang." Anna spoke loudly, her hand extended towards a bin. He dropped the items within and went to turn away. "Oh no, Your getting a ride. I called Yuy, he'll be here momentarily." Wufei cast the woman a hate filled glare, and she simply pointed to a seat, once used to house waiting civilians and civil-servants alike. Squaring his shoulders, yet silently grateful towards the forethought to his safety. Wufei Moved towards the seats, and sat. It seemed like an eternity passed until he looked up and saw Heero looking down at him. His expression one of concern, reminding him that he may have changed cloths, but he hadn't washed the soot off his face yet.

Wufei stood up, looked to Anna who simply nodded, and walked out following Heero's lead. Knowing all the while, that if his other brothers weren't charging the station, that Heero hadn't said a word to the others. For that he was most grateful for.

* * *

Duo tapped his fingers against his thigh to the music playing from the radio. He liked the older rock tunes, but the one that was playing was interesting to say the least. "So what spurred the impromptu visit to Aya-chan?" He questioned when Kekko turned down the radio as the song ended. "I remembered that we haven't done our monthly visit yet,technicly, and I figured it would be nice to spend some time there to see how both she and the girls are handling with Saki being gone. Granted the tip-off call you got this afternoon was the straw that tipped the scale in our favor." Duo smirked, " And the idea of a free meal didn't spur your train of thought?"

Kekko smirked right back at him, "Unlike you, my life isn't dragged along by the pit of my stomach." she chuckled, "But the dinner was a nice gesture on Ayame's part. I think she wants company but is too damn stubborn to ask for it." Her passenger nodded in agreement, "I can only imagine how lonely it gets in that dojo, even her employees are more like her students over her friends. She isn't exactly the easiest person to get along with if you disagree with her points of view either."

"As much as I want to disagree, your right. However you have to keep in mind she has damn good reasons for her point of view, just like anyone who fought in the war. I could even say that she has tendencies of the like Captain Chang hold." Duo blinked at her comment, but mulled it over in his mind as they came to a stop at the lights.

"Maybe, but I guess it's their standoffish natures. That _'I work alone, and I can handle all the life throws at me with out help'_ attitude is something I find a lot of soldiers have gathered since the war. It's irritating and more then a little annoying."

Kekko agreed, "Yes it is, but that is how a lot of people cope, because that is how they where raised and trained. It's essentially the only way they know how to live. You can't blame them for acting in the way they know how. This aside we can only be the support they don't realize they have until they need it."

Duo snorted, "Like the children in CR care. Go figure. I always said Wu-man was a big baby, but now that just makes it better." Kekko sent Duo a look that shut him up for all of two point five seconds. "So, What was with the whole idea of Saki's Case being tossed out like that, Ayame must be pissed." Duo stretched out his legs as far as the passengers side would allow. "She doesn't know about that yet." Kekko responded flatly, and Duo's brow rose accusingly. "You haven't told her because?"

Kekko signaled a turn and checked her blind spots before following through and answering. "Because she has to make the arrangements for the funeral and a business to run and two girls in her care currently. I don't want to test that woman's patience nor her stress management. She is one person I would never want to see go over the edge... kinda like you Duo only..."

Duo shuddered, "Yeah I know what you mean. Good thing I never brought it up at the dojo, granted, Satomi and Kana kinda kept me busy after lunch. What did you and Ayame talk about while being stuck with the dishes?" Kekko rolled her eyes, "Duo, sometimes your too nosy."

" That's why Anna hired me, and why you wanted me in the CR department." He retorted smugly dropping his seat back to relax. Kekko wanted to slap him, simply because he was right- but she would never admit _that_ aloud.

* * *

_He smelt something familiar, something he hadn't smelt for a long time... '_Dragons blood'_ incense, as he walked down the corridor to where his rooms lay waiting for him. He had been away from home too long, and yet not long enough. _

_Boarding school was alright, but he couldn't help but wonder what the tutors did after they were done terrorizing their charges. Not that he ever minded, really, if it isn't done right then a teacher is supposed to correct their student. After all, that was the point of going to school in the first place. _

_"Master Chang, Your wanted in the main hall." A woman, who's face he couldn't see, and body he didn't recognize, said from ahead of him. He realized as the woman walked away, that he was still wearing his reading glasses from the ride home. _

_As he removed them, he walked in to the main hall- slowly it seemed four people shifted in to the shadows trying to be kept out of his sight. One held long hair, to the left was one with short spiked hair, and the other two had mid length hair. He couldn't tell colours of hair, but somehow he knew these people and had the impression that they shouldn't have been there, they had already said good bye. _

_A whimper resounded from the center of the room, and as he looked they where no longer on the family estate, instead they where in an open field within the colony. The ground shaking around them and warning sires exploded in his ear. Meilan looked up at him with her bright once vibrant black eyes and closed them once, looking at him. He was drawn in to their depths. Darkness surrounded him. _

_Out of nowhere the scene changed once more and strong arms held him firmly in place, and he felt a sudden stabbing pain in his chest. His vision was blurred with unknown tears, as he looked out what appeared to be a window from a shuttle. He felt the shock wave of an explosion and forced himself to focus. _

_"You condemned them to hell... I merely granted your wish." A husky female's voice chuckled, as he finally saw what exploded. _

_A0206, and he screamed..._

* * *

Wufei sat up, his head instantly regretting the action. He was disoriented and couldn't figure out what had happened to him since Yuy had picked him up from Preventer earlier in the afternoon. Cautiously looking around where he lay, he found himself to be in his room, covered with his blankets, in his pajamas. Slowly he shoved his blankets away from him, and walked towards his door.

From the hall he could see the light reflecting from his television that Duo had insisted he get, right along with cable he rarely used. One glance at his clock told him it was just past ten in the evening, and he blinked. _I slept eight hours?_ His disbelief brought him to move out of his room and walk down the hallway with one hand supporting him. His sense of balance was off, and he greatly disliked the disadvantage he found himself in. _Pathetic._ He growled inwardly.

As he came to the junction of his hallway that ran directly in to his open concept Living room kitchen, he saw that Heero was still sitting in his apartment sleeping in his chair. It shouldn't have surprised him, but it did. The fact that Heero Yuy was willing to remain to ensure that he was alright, was shocking, considering he had tried to kill him before.

Wufei decided it would be best to simply fetch a drink of water before heading back to bed, _Maybe take something for this headache._ He amended silently so as not to wake Heero, who was a light enough sleeper as it was. Wufei moved to walk back down the hallway to the bathroom, only to notice that Heero held no blanket over his sleeping forum and fought back a sigh. Opening a storage closet, he pulled out one of his spar blankets and moved towards the man.

He wouldn't dare put the blanket on Heero, that could prove fatal to anyone, including him at his peak condition, instead he opted to set it on the coffee table and leave the man. He dragged his feet to keep balance as he moved in to his small yet tidy bathroom. His ears still rung, but the ringing wasn't high pitched, more so a dull droning annoyance.

Slowly closing the door, hoping that it didn't bang loudly against the frame, he flicked on the light and looked at himself in the mirror. He was a mess, but mostly because his skin was too pale. He remembered then that he hadn't eaten all day which was a minor problem compared to the fact that he was almost blown up because of his own stupidity.

Opening his cabinet ridding himself of having to look at his ashen face, he pulled out a small container holding a packets of Pain medication. He rarely approved of using such means of ridding one of pain, however when it came to headaches, he was the first to jump to that resort.

Turning on the facet, allowing the water to cool, Wufei stood braced against the sink, his thoughts drawing inward from where they had last left off.

_I am missing something, it's important. Hard to believe that three incidences occur at Preventer within a week. They have to be connected somehow. Even if the first one isn't connected there is still the fact that that bomb was placed in a very strategic way, meant for maximum impact, yet minimal fatalities. Once the bodies where found, again for maximum impact, shock factor. This person, or persons are one for theatrics, and for bringing about surprise, yet making it hard to read what ever message they are giving._

_It still worries me that the weapon is gone again, justice was a big piece to my last case. If that's the reason for the gun to be missing, then that would lead me to assume that someone who knew about the guns existence knew it would be here. That would also imply they gave the gun to Saki Taylor. So even if the girl was more then willing to take her own life, someone wanted that gun back. Why go though all the trouble of giving her the gun unless it was meant to send a message to someone, someone who knew about it's origins and what it symbolizes?_ Wufei slid the glass on the back of the sink under the running water as he slid the pain pills on to his tongue. His mind whispering _Ayame Taylor?_ Wufei knew that the woman was withholding something. She knew more about the gun then she was letting on, but he couldn't bring it back up again because she was in no way connected to the recent events except for the gun. No judge would sign off on a search of her apartments with out evidence to support his theory, no matter how paper thin it may be.

He needed to get in to Ayame Taylor's apartments, he needed to get to know the woman better. He also needed a reason to see just what she was hiding about the dragons, because currently the only person to hold motive for the killings in Preventer was Ayame Taylor, the only person other then fellow Preventers who knew about the gun was Ayame Taylor, and the only person to have any sort of connection with all three incidences was Ayame Taylor.

His thoughts interrupted by the sour taste of pain medication on his tongue, he gulped down the water and turned off the tap. Turning and reaching for the door knob he noticed light spilling in from the living room that was much brighter then just the television. Opening the door he found Heero standing in the kitchenette making what appeared to be two cups of his green tea. _So much for not disturbing him_ Wufei thought inwardly as he sighed flicking off the light in the bathroom.

* * *

The moon rose so silently in to the night. Yet the silence brought a restlessness to resound throughout her very being. Something wasn't right, she couldn't put her finger on it, but Ayame knew she had missed something about Saki's death that was important. She very-rarely forgot anything, especially when it was important enough to bother her so greatly.

Perhaps it was merely the fact that a child of hers could resort to such a degrading and despicable act that had her so riled inside. Maybe it was the fact that she couldn't figure out how in gods name Saki had gotten hold of _that_ weapon in particular. _At least I found out one thing I didn't know a week ago; Kekko didn't know the whereabouts of that weapon after the A0-206 incident. _Ayame couldn't help but think that was just as well. Kekko was more then welcome to dig all she wanted about the gun, but, Ayame already know how the Weapon had made it to earth.

_What ever keeps her busy elsewhere and out of direct trouble._ She hummed propping her chin on her hand, her eye's watching the clouds as they passed over the moon. _There is only one person that I know for a fact could hold the skill to get in to this room, and take the weapon unnoticed, but she has been dead for a decade now. One of the replacement pilots may have been able to, but none of them held any notion of the weapons existence._ Ayame's eyes narrowed, _Except that Preventer Chang, he seemed to have some kind of idea as to the guns relevance... Could he know about the dragons?_ She wondered before shaking her head, _The doctors of destruction wouldn't be so foolish. If any of their replacements has found out about the dragons, they would have gone looking long before now. Maybe it's nothing more then the illusive law-enforcement Gut instinct. _

The crying of a child erupted from an open window to one of the buildings apartments across the alley way behind the Dojo, and the sound instantly flicked on a switch in Ayame's brain. _The youth care internship... Big sisters... _Ayame's eyes widened only to narrow as she whipped around and walked in to the dojo, her voice calling out to the two girls within.


End file.
